Pray for Accra, Ghana

Islam is a minority religion in Ghana, which is over 70{1ef34f8f1cacfdc6c19f5319e487deec2393c82eacea09a13da7feed1a24e305} Christian. Yet each year, thousands of Muslims from the rural north make the journey to what is perceived as the richer urban areas in the south. Among them are often young girls between 14 and 16 years of age who migrate to big cities like Accra to work in markets or on the streets as load carriers known as Kayaye. There are an estimated 180,000 Kayaye in Accra alone. These ladies eat and sleep by the roadside or in lorry stations and marketplaces, exposed to vices such as fraud, rape and theft.

Habiba, for example, left home because her parents could not afford the school fees she needed to complete her education. During the day she carries loads on her head, eats little and tries to save as much as possible. The Kayaye are often looked down upon by others in the city. Without education, wearing poor clothing and with no room to sleep in, people’s attitude towards them tend to be disrespectful.

Christian groups offer services such as education for porters with children, medical services for the sick and injured, and basic health education which has contributed towards making life better for some Kayaye in Accra. The economic crisis from the impact of Covid-19 gave opportunities for Christians to demonstrate compassion and generosity. One group recently distributed over 2300 food packages to women and children sleeping on the street.

How to Pray

• Pray for the Kayaye women of Accra to have more opportunities to improve their lives. (Psalm 31:19)
• Pray for Christians who are reaching out to Muslims, that their good works would bring glory to God and many Muslims would come to faith in Christ. (Matthew 5:16)
• Pray for recovery from the losses caused by the pandemic, and for growth in the Church and in their outreach to Muslims. (Acts 2:42-47)

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Top photo by Isabel Lopez via Flickr CC