Could anti-slavery efforts in Ghana be doing more harm than good to local communities? #BBCAfricaEye goes undercover to investigate one of the world’s leading anti-slavery organisations and their West African operations.
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On 6 September 2022, in northern Ghana, four children were taken, at gunpoint, from their home in the middle of the night.
They were brought to a hotel, photographed, washed and fed. At sunrise, they were relocated to a shelter. Their families were left in the dark as to where and why.
For the American charity coordinating the raid, it was a successful mission to rescue child slaves.
For the families, it felt like a kidnapping leaving them bewildered and traumatised.
What really happened to these children?
With a trail of WhatsApp messages, secret filming, and a journey to some of the remotest areas of Ghana, Africa Eye brings you the story of what happens when good intentions go horribly wrong.
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Credits:
Reporters – Kyenkyenhene Boateng, Yahaya Masahudu
Filmed, Produced and Directed by Chiara Francavilla
BBC Africa Eye Editor – Tom Watson
Executive Producers – Andy Bell, Michael Simkin
Investigative Producers – Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah, Aliaume Leroy, Max Hudson
Open-Source Analysis – Bertram Hill
Film Editor – Rob Miller
Director of Photography – Kevin Okai
Production Manager – Simon Frost
Reversioning Producer – Anna Payton
Digital Producer – Tamasin Ford
Social Media Producer – Anusha Kumar
Impact Producer – Blanca Munoz
Production Coordinator – Sarah Clarke
Online Editor – Chris Stott
Dubbing Mixer – Jez Spencer
Colour Grader – Boyd Nagle
Translators – Shaniece Palm, Nasiba Mbabe Bawa, Taufique Chentiba Ahmed, Ofosua Owusu
Motion Graphics Designer – Manuella Bonomi
Additional camera – Alex Tackie
Production Support – Abigail Knight
Digital Technicians – David Smith, Regan Wharton
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Comments
22 responses to “The Night They Came for Our Children – BBC Africa Eye documentary”
Read more about this investigation here ➡"Ghanaian children taken from home over false trafficking claims" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-66122058
My submission is the approach. They are both 2 wrongs.
Family is very Important, but a family without a future plan for these kids is a recipes for life goal disaster.
Another disaster is abduction to carry these goals, good intentions with a horrible approach!!
Proper sensitization on the Mission's Purpose and addressing evil norms should be the approach, for these kids to be better and well balanced. Built on strong value for family while having the life of their dream built to toplevels!!
This is not charity organisation… is money making business at the expense of poor people.
This is all about money, greedy people,
Why does an American company have so much access to a sovereign nation to determine who our law enforcement should go after. This is legalized kidnapping and an atrocity. No company in Ghana or Africa period would be given this much access to any western country. We need to do more for the children.
Children in Germany also start working underage during holidays or doing vocational training is that also child Labour it’s regulated no nite duty and weekend but it’s a different setup.
And who gave these people the right to dictate how we as africans live .
Something does not seem right with this documentary 🙏
This is good investigative journalism and congratulations to the author. Excellent work
I for one cannot understand how a white so called missionaries would be allowed to behave in this manner in Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana. He did say that the Neocolonialists would come in different guises and here is a typical example.
I’m sure a number of corrupt people are involved. Some of the stories are so sad and heartbreaking.
Why do I feel bad about the word slavery each time the white man mentions it? Why? My brother thank you. God bless and protect you and your team
How can a government allow a private foreign entity to remove children as and when they choose without any form of independent verification.
This sounds like another of those western based initiatives that work on the theory that 'they know best. If they really want to be of use they should ask these families what kind of assistance they need.
There are over 40,000 children currently enslaved in Ghana, yet the BBC chooses to investigate a non-profit with a mission to rescue these children. The non-profit accidentally rescued 4 in a way that scared a village known to have children working as slaves. Perhaps if the BBC really cared about kids, they would investigate the traffickers who abuse children daily, rather than the people who are trying to rescue them. Makes you wonder about this journalist’s intentions… it would certainly help child traffickers if these non-profits lost their funding… 🤔
Shameless useless African Gov'ts allow Whitemann to keep marginalising his Upsprings.
I just can'nt explain how thankful and proud i am to watch this Video and know eventhough with such sad Story proud African Sons and Daughters are fighting these Evil idiots. Stay blessed and thanks gain🎉
Ghanaian government must forbid organisations as IJM that just want to show white supremacy. China and USA should try solve own problems in their own countries! Hello Ghana president, protect Ghana! If Nekrumah could see this he would cry.
Christianity is a WHITE Man's recruitment-cult Amway -style corporate business to enslave non-white populations by destroying native Indigenous cultures.
This is just sad, taking advantage of poor ppl in the name of helping them
Then they advertise black ppl being swomed by flies donate money this is on another level
The American CHARITY is WHOSe behind this! #wakeupafricand
I cent believe BBC is justifying parents selling kids into slavery, looks like a reporter trying to making a story out of two cases. This looks like a movie script with actors not a documentary. The reporter wants the story to be more true than what the story is. Ego’s get the best of everyone.
BBC Africa Eye never stop doing what you do.
Even though I'm Australian not African, I still watch your documentary's because they're amazing. Great Journalism.
All for numbers and more funders. Crazy
So what next? Part 2 loading?