Social Studies Speakers Series Sponsored by LFHS Foundation

The Social Studies Speakers Series, sponsored by the Lake Forest Foundation, welcomed Mr. Eric Peasah for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on December 5, 2009.   Mr. Peasah spoke with 20 classes during 7 periods on the IOM’s ongoing participation in the Yeji Trafficked Children Project in Ghana.  With support from the U.S. State Department, this project aims to end the trafficking of children in Ghana. For the past three years, the project has rescued, rehabilitated, returned, and reintegrated 576 children. These children were engaged in fishing under hazardous conditions along Lake Volta in the Northern Regions of Ghana. In addition to rescuing children, the IOM sponsors programs to prevent child trafficking by working with the fishermen, children’s families, and local governments.

LFHS Students were shocked to learn the extent of child trafficking in the world.  Their questions ranged from how they could help end this problem to how the IOM educates parents and children on how to avoid child trafficking.  Mr. Peasah and Mrs. Lori Dillon (a LFHS parent who works with IOM) were impressed with the level of questions and the sincere offers of assistance. The Lake Forest High Social Studies Department would like to express its appreciation to the LFHS Foundation for its generous support of the Speaker series.

Eric Peasah, Counter-Trafficking Field Manager for the International Organization for Migration/Ghana, spoke to Lake Forest High School students recently about human trafficking, a criminal industry second only to the international arms trade.  His presentation was made possible by a grant from the LFHS Foundation. The Global Speaker Series grant enables guest speakers to present on topics aligned with the curriculum