Britain honours Addo-Fening for voluntarism

Accra, May 18, GNA - The British Government on Tuesday conferred the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on Mrs Adelaide Addo-Fening, former Country Director, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), for her invaluable contributions to the volunteer service.

Mrs Addo-Fening has worked with the VSO for the past eight years and was the Ghana Country Director for the last five-and-a-half years. Mr Gordon Wetherell, British High Commissioner, conferred the honour on Mrs Addo-Fenning at a colourful ceremony in Accra.

The High Commissioner noted that without the tireless contributions of Mrs Addo-Fening the VSO would not have attained its present status. He said after her assumption of office, as the Country Director she focused on the organisation's work more explicitly on meeting the development needs of Ghana.

"Apart from her focus on helping the disabled and offering them educational opportunities and secure livelihood, she ensured that VSO Ghana supported the development of local volunteers", he said. The VSO works in developing countries to help reduce poverty among the disadvantaged by bringing volunteers from the UK and other countries to support the development work of host nations.

It has been involved in Ghana since 1958 and worked in partnership with their local partners, to help people with disabilities play fuller part in their societies, improve opportunities for the rural folk to gain access to secured income and promote awareness of HIV/AIDS and behavioural changes.

Mr Wetherell congratulated Mrs Addo-Fenning for her active role in VSO activities by recruiting volunteers from Canada, the Netherlands, Kenya and the Philippines.

Mrs Addo-Fening thanked the British government for the honour bestowed on her in recognition of her contribution towards the development of the VSO. She said VSO had contributed immensely in shaping individual lives particularly in the Northern part of the country by offering the less privileged education and other means of livelihood. Mrs Addo-Fening urged the current 59 Ghanaian volunteers on the field to work hard to fulfil the vision of the VSO. 18 May 04