Asutuare (E/R), Feb 15, GNA - A delegation from the Voices of African Mothers (VAM), an American NGO for the promotion and development of women and children in agriculture and communication has visited Asutuare in the Eastern Region.

While in the town, the delegation interacted with the people to identify their needs and how to find solutions to them.

Nana Labokie II, Queen mother of the area, who received the delegation appealed to them for assistance to tackle the challenges facing women and children to improve their living conditions. Miss Barbara Knaub, Chairperson of VAM, stressed the determination of the NGO to help the people in the areas of education, job training, personal cleanliness, healthcare and AIDS education.

She said the NGO was to launch a programme for the advancement of issues of women and children and to create awareness about their importance in the society.

Miss Knaub said, "It is hoped that by instilling these principles in women, they will eventually create an atmosphere of peace in Africa". She later took the people through HIV/AIDS education to create awareness about the disease especially among the youth.

Nana Fosu Randall, a Ghanaian President and Founder of VAM, said African women must be bold to say "no to wars" because women and children suffer most in conflict situations.

"Wars do not build but rather destroy nations and bring unnecessary pain, hunger, distress and suffering among women and children," she said.

She stressed the need to promote peace, sharing of resources and the creation of understanding among people of the world and called on African leaders to end wars, conflicts and civil strife to ensure the development of the continent.

Professor Melville Johnston, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert and a pioneer member of VAM, promised to recruit specialists to Ghana to assist the people in the area.

Mr David Stott, an agriculture specialist stressed the importance of sustainable agriculture to enable the people to feed themselves and to ensure food security in the area and the country.