Asantehene inaugurates SOS Children's Village

Asokore-Mampong (Ash), May 16, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene on Saturday inaugurated a new SOS village at Asokore-Mampong in Kumasi with a call on the Ministry of Education to support the school with the needed inputs.

The Asantehene, who pledged his personal support to the school and the work of SOS Children's Villages, noted that education is the basis of development of every country. The Village, which has Kindergarten, primary and junior high school as well as canteen, science laboratory, social and medical centres, was built with funds from the Nationale Postcode Loterij and a Network of Women, both in the Netherlands.

"Without education, it is difficult to climb out of poverty or to bring up a generation of children with sufficient knowledge and skills to move a nation forward", he stressed. Otumfuo Osei Tutu said the protection and care of children is a shared responsibility of parents, communities, families, relevant government departments and non-governmental agencies adding "we must not always look beyond our shores for help". Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister in an address read for him, said the Regional Coordinating Council appreciated the extension of SOS Villages' project to the region and called on individuals and organizations to support the Village financially.

Mr Helmut Kutin, President of SOS Children's Villages Worldwide said Netherlands had been the leading force in the building of the Village. He said with the personal inputs of all friends and supporters of SOS Children's Villages in Ghana, outstanding contributions for the benefit of children and young people in need could be reached. Dr Mrs Margaret Nkrumah, Chairman of the Board of SOS in Ghana and also Vice-President of the Parent International Organization, said the work of SOS Villages would not be possible without the good wishes, generous donations and active support of friends and donors. She appealed to Ghanaians to make possible a loving home for their children, whether within the SOS Children's Village itself or within their own communities.

Mr Kojo Mattah, the National Director expressed his gratitude to donors, contractors and architects and other technical people for their contributions towards the completion of the project. He said their doors were opened for donations and contributions. "Help us to give meaningful lives to the over 500 children and youth currently in our Villages and over 1,000 children in our family strengthening programmes. Your support is even more urgent as we plan to reach out to over 10,000 children by the year 2016", he added.