Black Stars defender Jonathan Mensah has donated assorted items to the Street Academy in Accra.

Items donated include bags of rice, milo, sugar, non-alcoholic drinks, cartons of bottled water, toiletries and cooking oil.

The donation was to support the Academy in their activities and also support the development of children in the academy.

Mensah who stormed the Academy with his wife, friends, family members and members of the Jonathan Mensah Foundation interacted with the children during the short visit.

The children were given the opportunity to ask questions and dance and held photo sessions with the Ghanaian defender.

Presenting the items, Mensah said he had chosen to spend time with the children with his family and friends during this festive occasion by celebrating life and the coming year.

The Ghanaian defender advised the children to put in extra efforts in whatever they were doing because hard work pays.

He told the children that they should also put God first in all their activities adding “keep dreaming, work hard and you would get there”.

“There are future footballers, Presidents, Nurses and Doctors among you. Keep dreaming and you would get there,” he added.

Mrs. Kafui Mensah, wife of Jonathan said she was elated to interact with the children at the Street Academy.

She said the foundation established in 2009 seeks to reach out to vulnerable children and orphanages and providing smiles on their faces through giving.

Ataa Lartey, Director of the Street Academy was overwhelmed by Mensah’s visit and gift to the children and advised other footballers to go into various communities to lend a hand in order to obtain blessings from God.

Ataa Lartey said each year the Academy admitted 80 children and were able to integrate them into formal schools.

He said the academy had been getting huge number of children who want to be enrolled but because the facility was small hence inability unable to admit them.

Street Academy established about 30 years ago, is a sport and cultural academy for street children which unearth hidden talents of these less unfortunate children on the streets of Accra.