YEJI, Ghana, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Nearly 200 Ghanian slave children are in the process of being reunited with their families.
The children are undergoing medical examinations under the auspices of the International Organization for Migration before being reunited with their parents, Voice of America reported Saturday.
In total, the IOM hopes to free about 1,000 children, mostly boys between 3 and 14 years of age, an IOM spokesman told VOA. They were sold to fishermen in the Volta region by their poor parents for an average of $180 each.
The children were forced to work in the fishing industry under slave-like and dangerous conditions. Most of the children were beaten, starved and received no pay, the IOM charged. Many also drowned.
Tribal chiefs helped IOM persuade the fishermen to release the children. In return, the fishermen will receive training, modern fishing and small loans to help them improve their fishing techniques.
