Glossary

If you have come across any other unusual terms, they may be explained in the Traditional Practices and Festivals page, if not then please do contact us - info@afrikids.org.

Child Labour

Children working when under the legal employment age (15) and is normally associated with exploitative conditions.

Child Trafficking

The movement of children against their will, or without their full understanding, for the purpose of exploitation. Child Traffickers make a profit from moving and "selling children" to employers and brothels. Trafficking across international borders is a well known process while the forced movement of children within their home country is less publicised, but no less harmful. Child trafficking is a major problem in Ghana.

Galamsey

A galamsey is a local artisanal gold miner in Ghana, West Africa. Galamseys are people who do gold mining independent of mining companies, digging small workings (pits, tunnels and sluices) by hand. Generally they can only dig to a limited depth, far shallower and smaller than commercial mining companies. Under current Ghana law, it is illegal for galamseys to dig on land granted to mining companies as concessions or licenses. Most galamseys find gold in free metallic dust form or they process oxide or sulphide gold ore using liquid mercury. The number of galamseys in Ghana is unknown, but it is believed to be from 20,000 to 50,000. As a group, they are economically disadvantaged; galamsey settlements are usually poorer than neighboring agricultural villages. They have high rates of accidents and are exposed to mercury poisoning from their crude processing methods. In some cases, galamseys are the first to discover and work extensive gold deposits before mining companies find out and take over, and galamsey workings are an indicator of the presence of gold. In the francophone countries surrounding Ghana, similar local artisanal gold miners are called 'orpailleurs'.
Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galamsey.

Hawkers

Hawkers are people, often women or children, who sell basic goods such as oranges, or bags of fresh water on the streets of towns or major roads. Hawkers are distinguished from other sellers in that they do not have a fixed stall but walk around selling their goods which are usually balanced on their head.

Home Based Care

This is offering care to individuals or family in their own home, this kind of support generally involves the provision of basic needs such as food, baby milk, fresh water, clothes and medical care. It also involves counselling and spending time with the beneficiary, giving them the chance to discuss their difficulties, understand what help is available to them (from AfriKids, their community, local authorities and other organisations) and working out solutions to their problems.

I.G.A. (Income Generating Activities)

These are activities undertaken by an individual, a family or a co-operative group to increase their income. IGAs are normally an addition to existing work and income e.g. a mother who lives from subsistence farming but begins weaving and selling baskets as an IGA. The aim of IGAs is to enable people to improve their standard of living and diversify their income so that it is more reliable.

Kaya kaya

This is a form of street labour often carried out by young boys and involves pushing heavy loads of goods to be sold in a market on a basic cart.

Micro-finance

This is the provision of small loans or grants to individuals, families or co-operative groups. AfriKids generally gives micro-finance in the form of interest free loans. Payment schedules and what the repaid money should be used for is decided through discussion between AfriKids' project staff and the beneficiaries. Often the money enters a community welfare fund, is re-invested in the beneficiary or goes on to help new people. Depending on the scheme micro-finance loans can be used for a number of purposes including the purchase of goods to begin an IGA or a long term investment such as family health insurance.

Residential Care

In AfriKids' work this means full time care where a child or young person is given a home and all the comforts associated with family life including food, medical care, education, company of people their own age and a guardian or adult carer/mentor. Ultimately all of our residential care is transitional as the aim of our work is to foster independence and avoid institutionalising children. However, each child's circumstances are different and the level and length of care they require varies: AfriKids operates a 'one child at a time policy' meaning care is tailored to each individual's needs.

Streetism

This is a state of existence in which individuals come to rely on what the streets of towns and cities have to offer in order to live. Many children in Ghana live and die in this way; many of whom but not all, are homeless. They spend most of their time in the town or city where they are based and the primary purpose for doing so is work. In Ghana, street children earn money in a variety of ways including kaya kaya pushing, lorry loading, the selling of cheap commodities and manual labour. Sadly, once on the street, children are also at a high risk of being dragged into the underworld of crime, prostitution, drugs and leave themselves open to diseases such as HIV/AIDS.