Rotary assist children in need

Accra (Greater Accra) 22 April

The Rotary clubs of Accra West and Neubury of Germany as well as Rotary International on Wednesday donated 180 million cedis to Children in Need, Ghana (CING) in support of their educational outreach programme.

The programme, dubbed "Outreach Preventive Educational Program", involves travelling to schools and communities throughout the country to educate the youth on issues affecting them.

Some of the topics to be discussed include dangers of street life, basic rights of the child, importance of education, self-esteem and peer education and adolescent reproductive health. Mr Dan Owusu-Afari, President of Accra West Rotary, said the money is in response to the numerous appeals for assistance by CING, a non-governmental organisation.

Many NGOs collect huge sums of money from their sponsors ostensibly to help unfortunate children on the streets but do not use the money for that purpose, he said.

"I am very glad that CING is an NGO of a difference since they are using the money for the purpose for which it was donated."

Mrs Alberta Quartey, Chairperson of Ghana National Commission on Children, who elaborated on some violence acts against women and children, urged parents to love and support their children, appreciate their contributions and share their aspirations "This will make them the happiest children and freely communicate with their parents whenever they are in need without any fear''.

Mrs Quartey appealed to men, as heads of family, to help curb the issue of violence against women and children.

CING has registered 80 street children, out of which, 30 are resident at their new hostel at New Achimota, while the rest are still living on the streets and some with relatives.

Mr Amoah said the children are taken through training programmes such as literacy and numeracy, spraying and painting, metalwork and woodwork, dressmaking, hairdressing, weaving and general agriculture.