Aburi, May 18, GNA - Some 171 students of the Aburi Girls Presbyterian Senior High School have been presented with the Head of State Award (HOSA) for participating in community service. The students, who each received a silver medal being the category for senior high schools, undertook a three-day voluntary community service expedition in remote villages in the Akuapem South District. The award was introduced in the U.K in 1956 as the Duke of Edinburgh's award for young people between the ages of 14 and 25 to become involved in voluntary and self development activities for the betterment of others.

Mr Amos Sarfo-Ababio, the head of HOSA, said the non-competitive programme helped the young ones to build qualities such as selflessness, responsibility, trust and dedication to the cause of fellow human beings at their leisure time. Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister who did the presentation, said he was happy that at a time when many activities inimical to national development were taking place some youth remained dedicated to hard work. He said in the wake of HIV/AIDS menace, "Sakawa" and other social evils that had eaten into the fabric of the youth it was encouraging and satisfying to note that young people were working to improve the lots of others.

The Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Nii Nortey Dua, called on the rest of the students to emulate the award winners and urged the award winners to aim in their later years at getting the gold medal. A recipient of the award, Ms Ofeibea Adarkwah who gave her perspective of the three-day community service in the rural areas, said they observed that many children were not able to go to school and suffered from malnutrition. She said the exercise had made them to come to the realisation that those who are blessed in society must help the underprivileged.