Thursday, August 28, 2014

Community Event Movie Presentation

Community Event Movie Presentation

Here is my community write up for last night's movie showing:


As Senya’s Akumese Festival was drawing to a close, Cheerful Hearts Foundation had a special event planned for the community. Sadly, many children and parents do not understand the importance of a child’s education as well as the dangers of the fishing industry. In order to raise awareness, Cheerful Hearts Foundations prepared a movie showing for the entire community to shed light on what is really happening to their children.

After an epic rainstorm completely destroyed any hope for an outdoor movie on Tuesday night, Cheerful Hearts decided try again the following day. Even though we had originally planned to have our showing on the final day of the festival, we still hoped for a good turnout. A group of volunteers arrived around 2:00 pm to start building excitement for the film. Along with the loud dance music and amusing verbal banter, Cheerful Hearts hired a car with speakers to drive around Senya inviting all residents in ear shot to come to learn about the issue of child labour and trafficking in Ghana.



As the sun began to go down, a crowd started to gather. With seating space limited, both children and parents began finding a space outside the church to better see the screen. By the time it was completely dark and the crowd was loosened up with some clips of Boys Kasa, Eric started the presentation with some information about the power of a child’s education and the purpose of Cheerful Hearts. With nearly 500 people eagerly waiting, Eric turned the microphone over to Hayford and the movie began.





Hayford, the director of the local school Day Star, helped translate the movie into the local Senya language, keeping the crowd both excited and curious throughout the entire presentation. Many parents and children did not have any idea what happens to the children when they would leave to work in Yeji or other fishing villages. The truth about the poor living conditions, acts or threats of violence and beatings, as well as the life ending or debilitating injuries accompanied with the fishing industry were shocking to many in the crowd. Watching the audience, it was easy to see how seriously they were taking this new information, as many were shaking their heads or looking away, finally beginning to understand the horrors associated with child labour.

After the movie finished, the discussion turned to the importance of child education. Several community members stepped up to the microphone to express the importance of school. Each speaker expressed how education is the key which opens all the doors for a child’s future. Child trafficking has robbed many children of the opportunity to obtain an education, but the community needed to know that these children still had the opportunity to change their futures. One of the most powerful moments of the evening occurred when several of Cheerful Hearts’ sponsored children came to address the community. Their excitement and drive to change their future was empowering to every child in the audience and their appreciation for Cheerful Hearts and their sponsorships was emotionally touching for everyone involved. Hearing such meaningful message from the very boys that had been working on Lake Volta and were now back at home and in school brought the crowd to their feet with a standing ovation.


The movie night was a huge success and helped raise awareness about the dangers of child trafficking. Keeping children in school and away from the exploitative and abuse work on Lake Volta is the key for both the children of Senya as well as the future of all of Ghana. Cheerful Hearts wants to thank both the IOM and Challenging Heights for their film as well as so many other individuals in the Senya community for helping to put together such an impactful event. Awareness and education is the first step in stopping child trafficking and Cheerful Hearts Foundation is proud to have had such a successful event last night in Senya. 

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