International Justice Mission (IJM) is a global non-profit dedicated to protecting people in poverty from trafficking, slavery, and other forms of violence by rescuing victims, bringing the criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts.
Godwin was a bright young boy who loved to learn in school. When he was 16 years old, a woman claiming to be his relative offered to take him on a trip to meet his extended family. Godwin, still committed to his studies, brought his schoolbooks so he could study on the trip.
Instead of taking him to his extended family, the woman sold Godwin to a man on a remote fishing island on Lake Volta. Suddenly alone, Godwin was forced to fish for the traffickers the very next day. They even threw Godwin’s books away, saying, “There will be no free time for learning.”
For nearly three years, Godwin was trapped with several other trafficked children who were beaten when they didn’t meet their trafficker’s demands. When the fishing nets got caught on submerged trees, they would have to dive and untangle them from the bottom of the lake. They feared that they might get caught in the nets and never make it back to the surface.
Thousands of children like Godwin are still suffering.
Less than 24 hours after his rescue, Godwin bravely got on a boat and headed back to the island that had so recently been his prison. But this time, he was aiding authorities and IJM staff in identifying children who were enslaved. Because of Godwin’s bravery, 29 trafficked people and one infant were rescued, and 17 suspects were arrested.
Today, Godwin is a leader among his peers and is loved by his headmaster, teachers and classmates. He’s picked his schoolbooks back up and is determined to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.
*Photo provided by International Justice Mission©
