Exploring The Experiences and Well-Being of Adolescents and Parents in Illegal Mining (Galamsey) Communities: The Case of Adansi North District Assembly in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Abstract

The involvement of adolescents in labour intensive economic activities such as mining poses serious threats to their health and well-being both physically and psychologically and harms their educational progression and general quality of life. Yet, in contexts like Ghana, increasing numbers of adolescents are involved in illegal mining activities known in local areas as “Galamsey” for economic gain. This study explored the lived experiences and well-being outcomes of such adolescents in six (6) local communities in Ghana where illegal mining is prevalent. Using qualitative humanistic techniques, data was collected from a total of 60 participants (30 adolescents and 30 parents) through in-depth interviews. The data collection was conducted in two parts with the first part focusing on interviews with adolescents directly involved in illegal mining and the second part focusing on parents who had adolescents involved in illegal mining. The collected data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analyses and findings from the adolescents’ data set revealed that family structure, educational aspirations, lack of parental control, and peer pressure were reasons for adolescents’ involvement in illegal mining. Significant issues or themes of psychological and emotional struggles, health risks, environmental degradation, and social stigma emerged to capture the adolescents’ reported experiences. Results for part two also revealed factors like economic hardship as motivations for adolescents’ involvement in mining. Further, mining impacts on adolescents included educational disruption, health issues, and societal changes. These findings provide important insights for policymakers, educators, and social welfare practitioners in creating comprehensive interventions to safeguard vulnerable adolescents and families from the negative effects of mining activities. It is recommended that policymakers should promote sustainable income for adults and reintegrate adolescents into education to reduce child labour and its associated stigma