MY STOLEN CHILDHOOD: UNDERSTANDING THE TROKOSI SYSTEM

The BBC Africa Eye documentary "My Stolen Childhood: Understanding the Trokosi
System" is an investigative journalism piece that discusses the century-old practice
known as "Trokosi" and how it has been directly linked to slavery. The primary reason
for doing it is to make up for a crime committed by a close relative. Thousands of
women, especially young girls, have been enslaved to this kind of belief system
throughout West Africa, where they are obliged to serve and live with priests in sacred
sites for the rest of their lives. Trokosi is primarily intended as a means of defending
family members against God's wrath and assisting in their release from all forms of
punishment. Formerly a slave to this belief system, the main character of this
documentary, Brigitte Sossou Perenyi, sets out on a journey to reconnect with her roots
in an effort to comprehend the origins of this belief system and how it has persisted for
so long.

After watching the documentary, I was overcome with a range of contradictory feelings
as I struggled to fully understand the message it was attempting to convey. I became
captivated by Brigitte Sossou Perenyi's story, and I liked how this piece of writing
allowed me to share her experiences and all of her recollections, both happy and tragic.

Seven is a pretty early age to start working, but in her situation, she was already
carrying buckets on her head and was already recognized as a typical village worker
who looks after the needs of the community. The regular use of child labor in this belief
system is a serious problem that shouldn't be ignored. These young females are
frequently made to perform demanding tasks for extended periods of time in
unfavorable circumstances without being paid. In addition to being harsh to the children,
this could be detrimental to their general well-being.

The fact that it was amply demonstrated how much she endured at such a young age
struck me as having the most impact, I believe. When she was seven years old, she
was stolen from her family, and she was later sold into slavery. She was brought to a
shrine in Ghana where young girls are forced into labor as part of a secular tradition
known as Trokosi, or "wife of the gods," in order to atone for the wrongdoings of their
family members.

Children should be allowed to explore the world and be exposed to the various learning
opportunities available to them as they grow up rather than being constrained and
enslaved to being a slave who just performs what is ordered. Brigitte was never able to
partake in any of these alleged encounters. She was only able to clearly recall her
struggles as a Trokosi slave.

She went through all of this to make up for a sin that a member of her family had
committed, not her. She paid the price for her uncle's immorality, which only served to
make the situation even more dreadful and tragic.

We all know that no guy should ever be the one to make up for the things we start or the
mistakes we commit, I believe. It is fundamental to human decency, and we should
always aspire to uphold it. She was forced to endure her suffering because the system
was obviously at fault.

The idea that she still had the opportunity to live the life she deserved, free from being
forced to be a slave or to be anything at all, was a wonderfully redeemed moment for
me in the documentary. She was taken from her at such an early age, but after being
adopted and saved, she got to enjoy a flourishing life full of love and real care. I guess I
was pleased that she wouldn't be forced to remain in that situation for the rest of her life
and that she would be a part of a family that genuinely loved her.

I found motivation in her quest to understand what actually occurred and found a
life-related parallel in her journey. No matter what she might find or what further details
or discoveries lay ahead of her, Brigitte trained herself to develop the courage to face
this awful memory head-on. She went after all the unanswered questions she had been
carrying around in her head for years, including why she had been thrust into those
circumstances and other issues she wanted to be resolved in her life.
I honestly believe that I can do the same thing after witnessing someone bold enough to
look back on the events that left them with scars. Everybody has struggles and issues in
their lives that they want to deal with, and watching her deal with hers makes me want
to do the same.

In conclusion, the documentary was superb and insightful. I gained a lot of knowledge
about Ghana, its people, and the traditions they chose to retain, as well as about how
they interact and conduct themselves. I suggest Brigitte Sossou Perenyi's tale to
anybody who wants to understand more about the Trokosi System, since she can serve
as an excellent illustration of that. For people looking for motivation and guidance in
their lives, documentaries like these could provide valuable information and possibly act
as a red light.