Accra, Feb. 14, GNA - Stanbic Bank on Thursday presented a cheque of GH 5,000 cedis and other household items to the Street Girls Aid, a non-governmental organization set up to assist girls who live and work on the streets, as part of this year's Valentine/Chocolate Day celebrations.

A sixty-member staff of the bank cleaned and painted the premises of the Street Girls Aid's Childhood Care and Development Centre at Kantamanto and entertained the children with music as well as food, drinks and chocolates.

Presenting the cheque, Mr Mawuku K. Afadzinu, Head, Marketing and Public Affairs noted that the children represented society's hope for the future and needed to be cared for. Mr. Afadzinu said the bank was determined to find ways of helping the vulnerable to become beacons of success. He said the bank has set aside a week dubbed: "Stanbic Cares Week" that would enable members of staff to spend quality time with the kids and bring smiles to their faces.

Mr. Afadzinu urged the members of the society to believe in the children and strive to make a difference in their lives. "When the vulnerable are given care and support, the security of all citizens, are protected," he said.

Mr Afadzinu said the bank was going to roll out programmes and reach out to the public with financial support.

Mr Samuel Boamah, a Social Worker, Street Girls Aid also known as S.Aid, said the S.Aid was established after the Department of Social Work, University of Ghana conducted research in 1991 and found out that there were 4,000 kids on the streets of Accra. He said though his outfit was now taking care of 560 kids in four of Childhood Development centres at Maamobi, Kinbu and Kantamanto, there was the need for other organisations to lend a helping hand in that direction.

According to him, his organization was also taking care of the nutritional needs of the children by offering them balanced diet. He commended Street Child Africa, United Kingdom based NGO and United Way Ghana for providing support to girls and their babies to achieve goals in life. 14 Feb. 08