Kumasi, May 31, GNA- The SOS Children's Villages, Ghana, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Friday laid the foundation stone for commencement of work on a third village in Kumasi, at the cost of three million dollars. The Village that would consist of 12 family houses, kindergarten, primary school, junior high school and social and health centres. Mr Kojo Mattah, National Director of the NGO, who made these known at the stone laying ceremony at Asokore Mampong in Kumasi ob Friday said the project would be completed by next year. He said the NGO, which was founded by the late Professor Hermann Gmeiner in 1974, was providing homes for abandoned and destitute children.

Mr Mattah said over 500 children were living at two SOS villages in Tema and Asiakwa whilst thousands more were admitted to the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools.

He said the village when completed would accommodate 120 children to be drawn from Kumasi and its environs. Mr Mattah stressed "In addition, over 400 children would be selected for support under the family Strengthening Programme." He said GH¢60,000 have been disbursed to caregivers and foster parents at the Villages to enable them to expand their businesses. Professor Helmut Kutin, President of SOS Kinderdorf International (KDI), urged CONSAR Construction Limited and facilitators who would be working on the project to complete it on schedule, to enable the NGO to take care of homeless children.

Dr. Mrs. Margaret Nkrumah, SOS KDI Representative in Ghana, urged the people to support the project, saying, they should regard homeless children as their own and contribute to their welfare. Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyimpemhene in Kumasi, and representative of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, thanked the NGO for seeking the welfare of deprived children in Kumasi and its environs. He said the project was in line with the Asantehene Education Fund, which had spent GH¢340,000,000. on the education of 5,000 school children and students nation-wide. Oheneba Poku said "Otumfuo shares your vision and is ready to support you to enable the Ashanti Region become at par with the other regions in terms of education." Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, chief of Asokore Mampong, appealed to individuals and organisations to support programmes that seek the development of children.