NGO to sponsor education of 50 children of cured lepers

Freetown (VR), Jun 4, GNA - Universal Peace for Humanity, a Hohoe based NGO, is to sponsor the education of 50 children of cured lepers now settling in a cluster of six communities called Freetown in the proximity of the former Ho Leprosarium, now a Polyclinic.

The sponsorship is part of a projected 255-million cedis basic education package, for 200 needy children in the Volta Region. Miss Cynthia Adzatey, Vice-President of the NGO announced this during an interaction with community leaders of Freetown, the largest of such communities on Friday.

On behalf of her association and the Hohoe District Association of Social Workers, she presented token gifts of rice, bar soap, cooking oil and sugar to be given to the "very needy" among them".

Miss Adzatey told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that funding for their programmes was from monthly donations from its 215 members as well as foreign donors.

Miss Sylvia Quansah, Youth Organiser of the NGO advised the youth living in the communities to eschew drunkenness, the use of narcotic drugs and irresponsible sexual lives to enable them to take good care of their physically challenged and ageing parents. Mr Godwin Gozo, Headman of Freetown, said they were on the verge of being displaced, by the sale of lands on which they were settling by landowners.

More than 300 Lepers who were rid of the disease were forced by rejection by their families to seek refuge in their present abode. 04 June 04