CCFC commissions classroom blocks for Wanbung Community

Mr Mark Lukowski, Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), on Tuesday commissioned three one-unit classroom blocks for the Wanbung Community in the Yendi Municipality of the Northern Region.

Mr Lukowski said the commissioning was part of the Early Childhood Development programme which the CCFC was implementing in Zabzugu, Tatale and the Nanumba North districts to address poor educational standards in those areas.

He said the programme was to help increase school enrolment, retention and improved academic performance in the communities.

Mr Lukowski said the program was also to encourage parents to send their children to school for a better future and that, as part of the construction of classrooms, the CCFC in collaboration with Tumakavi Development Association, had supported some communities under the Yendi Municipality to benefit from the school feeding program, teaching and learning aids, and water facilities such as rain water harvesting tanks.

He said sanitation facilities had also been provided to improve sanitation situation in the communities.

Mrs Gifty Akosua Baka, Country Director of CCFC, said as part of the education program, CCFC in partnership with UNICEF, sensitised some communities on the need for children to be protected against abuses such as forced early marriages, rape, teenage pregnancies and corporal punishment.

She said due to the training some communities had now formed child protection teams and clubs in schools which had helped the parents to become aware of the disadvantages for neglecting their children.

She said CCFC had trained over 650 women and men in dressmaking, carpentry, bread baking and preparation of pastries in the communities.