The Ghana Without Orphans (GWO), a Christian movement and an offshoot of World Without Orphans, has been inaugurated, with the mandate of restoring orphans to their biological parents, relatives or adoptive Christian families.

The Movement is also dedicated to providing all orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana, a place of love, hope and a sense of belonging within the Christian family environment.

The Organization’s initiative covers children who have been abused, neglected, or sexually abused by their families; children who have developmental disabilities, who are homeless, who have been exploited and also emancipating to independence from orphanage care.

In his keynote address at the launch in Accra, Mr Fred Sakyi Boafo, National Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Co-ordinator at the Department of Social Welfare, said the Department defines OVC as “a person below the age of eighteen years who has lost one or both parents and who is exposed to moral, physical and psychological danger as a result of neglect and/or abuse or in capacity whether or not one of the parents is alive”.

He noted that in Ghana, the number of orphans and vulnerable children is estimated to be 1,216,770; declaring however, that pragmatic steps were needed to protect them from neglect or abuse, and to seek their best interest in society.

The National Coordinator emphasized that, in an effort to support and cater for these vulnerable children, the public should be mindful of the policy direction of the state towards the care of OVC, as such, the policy direction of the state points towards the promotion of family-based care, with institutional care being the last option.

In a presentation on the vision of GWO; Reverend George Kankam Abaidoo, National Coordinator, GWO, said its vision is to give all orphans and vulnerable children, a passport out of the Orphan Nation into the joy of a better Christian family life.

He said the movement seeks to establish, promote and sustain national, regional and districts networks that involves churches and their members, NGO’s, business communities, media, governmental agencies, institutions, corporate organisations, among others, who could help develop orphan advocacy movements.

Rev Abaidoo said GWO would promote communication within and among orphan networks, help advocates share their successes and challenges and learn from each other as they design and test working models to improve services to orphans and families.

Speaking on other related matters; Rev Abaidoo said one of the biggest challenges facing the Christian church today, is the ever-increasing number of children growing up without the loving care of their parents and without knowing their Heavenly Father.

He told the Ghana News Agency that the church must honour its responsibilities, by catering for the vulnerable and orphans in society, and not government, adding that the church must encourage its members who have shown interest in fostering.

He told GNA that the orphanages and foster homes should be seen an emergency placement or the first point of reference so far as street children and other victims are concerned, and suggested that after three years, such victims should live with their families.

As part of the ceremony, Apostle Fred Tiakor, Director of Children’s Ministry of the Church of Pentecost, inducted an 11-member National Steering Committee, to spearhead the activities of the organization.

The members include; Madam Gertrude Opare Addo, Rev Fred Sekyiboafo, Rev Eric Nartey, Rev Humphery Patterson, Rev Emmanuel Asmah, Rev Ernest Ekow Allins, Rev David Ofosuhene, Madam Ama Vanderpuye, Rev Dr. Frank Zomelo, Rev Elijah Mahama Akpanyi and Rev George kankam Abaidoo as the National Coordinator.