AfriKids Ghana supports 13 districts fight coronavirus

AfriKids Ghana, a Child Rights Non-Governmental Organization, under its COVID-19 response project, has undertaken widespread sensitization programmes on COVID-19 and presented preventive materials as well as food items to some vulnerable communities in 13 districts in four regions of Northern Ghana.

The project valued at over GHC1million was started as part of contributions to complement government’s efforts at fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The items included, 570 Veronica buckets, 640 tippy taps, 5,656 alcohol-based hand sanitizer, 15,658 facemasks, 24,960 carbolic soap, 12,960 litres of liquid soap as well as 1,155 radio sets with downloaded frequencies, 2,000 bags of five kilograms of rice and 2,000 litres of cooking oil.

The districts are Bolgatanga Municipal, Bongo, Builsa North, Builsa South, Nabdam, Talensi, and Kassena-Nankana West Districts in the Upper East Region, Sissala East in the Upper West Region, Mamprugu Moagduri and Bunkpurugu in the North-East Region and Saboba, Tolon and Kumbungu in the Northern Region.

Speaking at a short ceremony at Pusu-Namongo in the Talensi District to present the items to the beneficiaries, Mr Nicholas Kumah, the Country Director, AfriKids, commended the Stevenson Group, Department for International Development (DFID) and the United Kingdom Afrikids Charity, UK, for funding the project.

The Country Director said the emergence of COVID-19 had truncated most of the flagship programmes of AfriKids Ghana that were intended to be executed in 2020 and therefore the management of the NGO adapted to the situation and fostered a plan to complement efforts to curb the spread of the infectious virus in its beneficiary communities.

Mr Kumah noted that since April 2020, AfriKids Ghana had been working with various stakeholders including the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service and Department of children and Social Welfare among others to raise awareness about the virus in the 13 districts and how to prevent it from spreading.

“We have worked to raise awareness in community and market places on the spread of COVID-19 and preventive mechanisms, handwashing demonstrations and radio discussions on issues about COVID-19. We have so far, 47 jingles in local languages. The target was children, the youth, women groups, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and every other community member in our operational areas,” he added.

Mr Kumah said the COVID-19 response project was intended to have a direct impact on 87,918 persons, while it further impacts 714,566 persons indirectly within the operational areas and their environs.

He said, “we hope that the items will go a long way to reduce the spread of the disease and with other efforts, bring it to a halt”.

Madam Tangoba Abayage, the Upper East Regional Minister, who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries, lauded the efforts of AfriKids Ghana and its partners for their labours over the years to ensure that the vulnerable especially children lived dignified lives.

She noted that government alone could not provide all the items needed to effectively deal with the spread of the virus and called on the private sector to partner government to fight the pandemic.