‘Becca’s Children Ball’ calls for support for needy children

One of the leading female vocalists in Ghana, Rebecca Acheampong or simply referred to as Becca is on a mission to help raise resources for at least 10,000 Ghanaian children to be signed onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

According to the singer she decided to embark on this campaign when she visited a local hospital in early 2009. “I saw a disheveled woman sitting on a bench and staring blankly into the air, drained of all hopes and it seemed the world had come to an end for her. He four-month old baby had just passed away because she could not afford medication that cost only GhC15.

My heart sunk because that was an amount that many of us waste on non-essentials on a daily basis. That amount is not even enough to buy a round of drinks for one person in several bars in Accra but a precious child died because it could not be raised on time to save his life”, she adds.

Although this may sound like an isolated case, it happens very often in hospitals across the country. Startling statistics continue to reveal that many children die each day because their impoverished parents cannot raise money to cater for their medical needs. Inspired by the wise sayings of the late Mahatma Ghandi that, “we must become the change we want to see”, Becca has decided to do something small but significant enough to all those poor little children and their poor parents.

“I want to raise $150,000 to register 10,000 children on the National Health Insurance scheme (NHIS) across the country and to sustain it for as long as possible. As you may have heard, I’ve started already by pledging a portion of my digital music sales to this course,” comments the singer.

Becca has consequently announced the ‘Becca’s Children Ball’ to help raise awareness and funds to support unfortunate children whose parents cannot afford to pay hospital bills or purchase drugs for them. The charity event on March 20 at the State Banquet Hall will be a three-course dinner with a table of 8 going GHC1, 500. The corporate dinner is targeted at companies listed in Ghana’s club 100 and would serve as an extra corporate social responsibilities for these companies and other patrons.

Becca would be joined by highlife legend, Amakye Dede, Nigerian standup comedian, Basket Mouth, Ghanaian crooner, Kwabena Kwabena and Ghana’s King of Satire Kweku Sintim-Misa (KSM) to provide deserving entertainment for the evening. The Patrons for this maiden edition of the children’s ball are Ishaac Diwan Country Director of the World Bank and Sylvester Mensah, CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority, who have thrown in their full weight of their offices to help make the event a reality.

“My request to the people of Ghana and the world as a whole is to donate money for the project, buy a table (tickets) to support the cause and also spread the word. A sad reality check is that only 1500 US dollars can secure free healthcare for hundred children for a whole year”, she concludes.

Cheques and donations should be in the name of DELOITTE/CHILDRENS BALL. All donations shall be made directly to Deloitte; 70% of all donations shall be made immediately and directly available to the needy children; and 30% shall be saved towards administering the project and organizing of the Children’s Ball on 20th March, 2010 to raise more money. This shall be executed through hospitals like the Children’s Hospital in Accra and the Department of Social Welfare with a list of needy children.