Across Ghana, illegal mining (galamsey) has become both a socio-economic and environmental challenge. For many young people in mining districts, the promise of quick earnings drives them into unsafe pits where they are exposed to toxic chemicals, exploitation, and long-term health risks. Beyond the personal dangers, galamsey contributes to land degradation, water pollution, and the destruction of livelihoods for farming and fishing communities.
Recognizing these challenges, Friends of the Nation (FoN) has made Livelihood Interventions in Mining Communities one of its core thematic areas. The goal is simple but urgent: to provide viable, sustainable alternatives that reduce dependence on galamsey while promoting safer livelihoods and environmental stewardship.
Transforming Lives Through Alternative Livelihoods
In partnership with the Australian High Commission in Ghana, FoN rolled out an alternative livelihoods initiative in the Mpohor District. This program directly targeted young people who had been working in illegal mining pits under hazardous conditions.
Through the initiative, 65 youth were trained in practical, income-generating skills, including:
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Soap and detergent production: creating household cleaning products with ready markets.
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Bead crafting: tapping into Ghana’s growing fashion and cultural industries.
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Small livestock rearing: building sustainable micro-enterprises in animal husbandry.
The project did more than transfer skills; it restored hope. Young people who once risked their lives daily in mining pits were able to see themselves as entrepreneurs and artisans with the potential to build safe and dignified livelihoods.
Stories of Change
The impact of these interventions is best captured in the voices of beneficiaries. For example, Esther Appiah, a young woman who had carried sand at galamsey sites for six years, shared how the program changed her life:
“I was excited when Friends of the Nation said they wanted to help us leave the pits. Now I can make detergents and soap and necklaces. I am grateful to Friends of the Nation and their sponsors. Through them, I’m not going back to the pit.”
Stories like Esther’s demonstrate the power of practical livelihood support in breaking the cycle of poverty, exploitation, and environmental destruction associated with galamsey.
Why It Matters
FoN’s work in mining communities is guided by the understanding that reducing illegal mining cannot rely on enforcement alone. Sustainable change requires providing alternatives that are socially acceptable, economically viable, and environmentally sound.
These interventions are therefore designed to:
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Protect health and safety: by steering youth away from dangerous mining activities.
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Build resilience: by equipping communities with marketable skills and tools for business.
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Reduce environmental pressure: by creating livelihoods that do not destroy land and water resources.
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Promote dignity and inclusion: by ensuring women and marginalized youth benefit equally.
FoN’s Commitment Moving Forward
FoN continues to expand its livelihood support in mining areas, working with local authorities, traditional leaders, and development partners to reach more at-risk youth. By embedding these interventions into broader community development and environmental governance efforts, FoN is contributing to a future where young people can thrive without endangering their health, livelihoods, or environment.