General News of Wednesday, 17 December 2003

Source: GNA

Wards of refugees call for help

Accra, Dec. 17 GNA - Veteran International Capacity Building Reformers Association (VICBRA), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based at the Buduburam Liberian Refugees Camp on Wednesday said the children of refugees needed help to be freed from mental armament. It thus appealed to local and International NGO's, Churches, Companies, Banks and Business enterprises to assist 3,750 desperate students who could not afford to remain in school for lack of school fees.

The NGO, which is committed to promoting the welfare of the inmates of the camp, is organizing the refugee youth to go back to school to acquire academic knowledge to enable them to help in the future re-building of Liberia.

A statement signed by Mr. Jakuta A. Liberty, Executive Director of VICRA said the 3,750 students have been sent to 40 private schools and are contracting various donor agencies all over the world to help fund this programme.

It said without education some of the youth could become mercenaries, armed robbers, and drug addicts and even contract the deadly HIV/AIDS disease.

Public-spirited individuals could assist the NGO to save the future of the children.

It implored Ghana to remember that it has contributed a lot towards peace in the sub-region.

The statement added that peace without mental disarmament could negate the appreciable efforts people have toiled for.