Ekumfi Eyisam (C/R), Oct. 5, GNA - The Mankessim programme area of Plan Ghana, a child centred community development organisation, has honoured 160 sponsorship volunteers.

Plan sponsorship volunteers identify needy children in the organisation's partner communities, prepare them for sponsorship by foreign philanthropists and also serve as link between the children and their sponsors.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Jacob Turkson, Programme Area Manager, said the current transformation in the organisation had necessitated a change in the way of communication between sponsored children and their sponsors.

Mr Turkson said the change enjoined the involvement of the children in writing letters and taking photographs of themselves to their sponsors instead of adults.

To facilitate this, the Area Manager said children's clubs were being formed in all partner communities to train them in photography and the improvement of other means of communication with their sponsors. Mr Turkson said 4,421 children had been sponsored in 44 communities in which Plan was operating in the Mfantseman and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese districts.

He said funds for projects Plan was able to execute in the communities were from a pool of contributions, adding that the work of the sponsorship volunteers was unique without which no development project would go on and urged them to work harder to better the lot of children. They were presented with wax prints, enamel bowls, Wellington boots and other items.

Plan Ghana works through other trained volunteers such as Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), Community Health Committees, Mother Support groups, Daddies clubs, School Management committees, Water and Sanitation committees and Community Development committees to promote education, health, water and sanitation, micro-financing and the rights of children. Nana Mprem VII, Chief of Ekumfi Eyisam, who chaired the function commended Plan Ghana for improving the living standard of the people of the town. 5 Oct. 06