Takoradi, Oct.06, GNA - The Ahanta West Area Development Programme of the World Vision Ghana (WVG) spent 56 million cedis to train 53 youths to acquire employable skills last year. It was part of its Skill Training for Sponsored Children programme under which beneficiaries were also provided with working tools. This year WVG had supplied 750 school children from eight communities with uniforms to encourage them to attend school regularly and distributed exercise books and other educational materials to 3,500 others.

Mr. Ernest Ofori Asamoah, Programme Officer in charge of Sponsorship activities announced this at the Area Development Programme annual sponsorship review meeting in Takoradi on Thursday. Sixty-two Child Welfare Supervisors who managed child sponsorship activities of the WVG in the district attended the meeting.

Mr. Asamoah said 26 students were currently being sponsored to study in Teacher Training Colleges and Tertiary institutions to complement efforts in human resource development to accelerate growth. He said 27 million cedis were spent on 19 students who undertook similar courses last year. Mr Asamoah said 22 million cedis had been spent on the medical bills of 201 sponsored children this year under its medical support programme to reduce the burden of parents.

On agriculture, Mr. Asamoah said 10,000 oil palm seedlings were supplied to 500 farmers in the district last year at subsidised rates and added that this year 3,000 oil palm seedlings had already been nursed and supplied to some farmers to enhance their living standards.

The WVG in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, National Commission on Civic Education and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and other stakeholders had been organising forums on Child and Parental rights and responsibilities for communities in the district. Mr Asamoah said the WVG had formed Child Rights Clubs in 30 Junior Secondary Schools, to educate children on their rights and responsibilities. He said a survey to identify and examine the location, incidence, current and prevalence rates of child rights abuses in the district had been completed in six communities.

Mr. Asamoah said the survey would serve as the basis for developing child rights advocacy strategies in the district. The delegates advised parents not to shirk their responsibilities to their children but continued to support their education and health needs because activities of WVG were to complement their efforts.