Driven by poverty, children all over the world have to undertake dangerous work to support their families.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

In Ghana over 10,000 children work in informal gold mining in order to survive. They dig pits and tunnels by hand which can be about 3m deep and 1m wide.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

Tools such as pick axes and shovels are used to dislodge soil which is collected in tin bowls.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

The heavy bowls weighing up to 10kg are carried to the water to be panned. Children carry these bowls to the water up to 20 times a day.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

Children pan for gold at the water’s edge. They lower the bowls into the water and shake them from left to right. This causes the gold, which is heavy, to sink to the bottom of the pan. The soil at the top, which is lighter, is swept away.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

The gold at the bottom of the bowl is transferred into a smaller pan and taken to be sold.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA

Children working in the gold mines earn an average of 5 Ghanaian Cedis a day, which is the equivalent of £1.50. But if they don’t find gold, they work the entire day for nothing.

GOLD MINING IN GHANA