On the Banks of the Korle Lagoon, Where Memories and Dreams Intersect

Note: Images in this post are strictly for documentary and editorial purposes. Do not use in any context without license or permission. The Youth of Accra The Korle Lagoonhttps://www.muntaka.com/korle-lagoon-fishing-plastic-pollution-ghana/ flows into the Gulf of Guinea, the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It is not only a reservoir of pollution and waste, but also a place where dreams, vivid memories, pain, secrets, and struggles all come together. Hundreds of young people are growing up along its banks, doing all sorts of hazardous work. These photographs chronicle youth and life in and along the Korle — just one afternoon, with some extras. Youth poverty: A frustrated young Ghanaian man swims in the heavily polluted Korle Lagoon to recover recyclable plastics and cans. Copyright © Muntaka ChasantHazardous child labour along the banks of the Korle Lagoon, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © Muntaka ChasantChild labourers on the banks of the Korle Lagoon, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © Muntaka ChasantHazardous child Labour along the banks of the Korle Lagoon, Accra, Ghana. Copyright © Muntaka ChasantChild labourers at Agbogbloshie use subwoofer magnets to attract small pieces of metals in the soil. This exposes them to dangerous levels of lead and other heavy metals. A studyhttps://meridian.allenpress.com/jhp/article/3/4/11/67380/Exploratory-Health-Assessment-of-Chemical in 2013 found lead levels as high as 18,125 parts per million (ppm) in one of the soil samples collected from around the area. US EPA's recommended standard for lead in bare soil in non-play areas is 1200 ppm and 400 ppm for play areas.https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/leadtoxicity/safety_standards.html Copyright © Muntaka ChasantChild Labour: 13-year-old hazardous child labourer leans against a scrapped truck — by the Korle Lagoon. Copyright © Muntaka ChasantPain and struggles of an adolescent boy on the banks of the Korle Lagoon. Copyright © Muntaka Chasant Copyright © 2021 Muntaka Chasant