About F.I.R.S.T
We have developed the following objectives to help us achieve our mission and vision
Freedom Islands Rights and Social Justice Foundation (FIRST) is formed and run by residents of islands and riverine communities on the Volta Lake within the Afram Plains North area of Ghana. Following more than two decades of existence and experience as an informal, grassroots, self-help cooperative, FIRST was registered as a not-for-profit organisation in 2023 for formal recognition as a rights advocacy group. Our indigenous communities and people have faced severe poverty, lack of schools, electricity, potable drinking water, health facilities, unemployment, marginalisation, and environmental problems for decades. Increasingly, we also face violence, stigma, exploitation, and other human rights violations by organisations which claim to be fighting child trafficking and child slavery on our waters.
We are poor and marginalised, but not voiceless or without the will, experience, and knowledge to solve our problems as we have been trying to do for several decades. We welcome support and partnerships from all who wish to work with us in dignity and respect to protect our rights and achieve our shared goals. Together, we can develop and implement achievable, socio-culturally sensitive responses that have the support of our communities to address our shared concerns effectively and sustainably. We will create a society where all our culturally diverse indigenous communities are empowered to pursue our futures and development free from discrimination, poverty, and exploitation.
Organisation
OUR GOALS & OBJECTIVES
- To provide social protection and welfare needs necessary to reduce extreme poverty, precarious work and other challenges facing children and adults across our communities.
- To provide training in fish farming and other innovative income making ventures to improve livelihoods, skills, and work opportunities across our communities.
- To provide high quality schools, teachers, and educational resources required to support our children to stay in school and improve educational provision, and outcomes our communities.
- To enhance fish processing facilities, trading and other economic activities to empower our women especially.
- To secure scholarships and other opportunities for our youth to attend secondary schools and universities
- To provide healthcare facilities, potable water sources, electricity and other infrastructure and services required to improve living conditions across our communities.
- To tap into the potential for tourism and other avenues to showcase and protect our environment.
- To promote programmes that will allow our voices to be heard and properly considered in discussions concerning our communities.
- To secure and properly manage financial, material, and human resources needed to achieve our vision, mission, and goals.
- To pursue compensation, legal and social redress for children and families who have been victimised by ill-informed anti-trafficking and anti-child labour operations in our communities.
- to establish partnerships and information sharing with actors outside our communities who wish to support us to achieve our goals.