Okurase, E/R, Aug. 12, GNA - A collaborative scheme, 'Project Okurase' designed to offer job training, formal education for vulnerable children and a haven for foster families of orphaned children has taken off at Okurase in the West Akyem District of the Eastern Region. The Project has since its inauguration last May embarked on a programme of helping the youth and residents in and around Okurase with basic environmentally friendly brick making training to support the project.

Dr. Cynthia Cupit Swenson of the Family Services Research Centre of the Medical University of South Carolina, United States of America and a co-Director of the Project said they are recruiting the residents to offer them the necessary training to make them better placed handle the project.

She therefore called on the residents, especially the youth to take advantage of the career-related scheme to learn various vocations at the multi-purpose centre which, on completion will offer training in basic education, vocation skills training and cultural activities. Dr. Swenson said Project Okurase is a joint venture between Nkabom Artists and Craftspeople Association, an NGO in Accra, Gethsemani Circle of Friends from South Carolina, USA and the Medical University of South Carolina with collaboration and support from Street Academy, Accra, individuals and companies from Israel and the United Kingdom. Mr Samuel Nkrumah Yeboah, co-Director of Project Okurase was recently honoured with a Doctor of Humane Letters by the Medical University of South Carolina for his extraordinary contributions to human development and while there, he conducted several fundraising events to move the project forward.

He called on the people to willingly embrace the project since it has a lot of benefits for the development of the human aspect of the community and expressed his gratitude to all those who have wholeheartedly supported the implementation of the project. Mr Yeboah said Djole, A West African dance and drumming company in Charleston, South Carolina have continued to lend their support to the Street Academy in Accra and intend to have a similar mission with Project Okurase.

The people and community of Totnes, Devon with the support of Mayor David Horsborough have shown their interests in the Project by raising funds to support the building of the school at Okurase. Nene Ataa Lartey, Executive Director of Street Academy stressed the need for collective responsibility necessary to impact positively towards the development of the children of the area. Plans are currently underway for a musical festival dubbed; "United Artists for Hope" to take place in Charleston, South Carolina early next year with the sole purpose of supporting Project Okurase to develop.