Ho, June 16, GNA - The Book of Hope International, a United States of America based Christian missionary organisation on Wednesday presented 60,000 publications worth 19 million cedis to schools in the Ho district.

The Book of Hope International is devoted to helping children and the youth to overcome their peculiar problems.

Titled "Book 0f Hope" the 32-page publication dealt with nine main topics on, Love, Sex, Family, Friends, Health-Addiction, Key to Success, Self-Esteem, Facing the Future and Your Most Important Decision from the Christian perspective.

Kabore School Complex in Ho, where the presentation took place received 4.5 million cedis worth of the publications and a computer with accessories worth 9.5 million cedis.

Addressing the staff and pupils of the school, Reverend Bob Hoskins, Founder and Leader of the organisation said children and young people especially in developing countries were in dire need of special help to enable them withstand the barrage of negative onslaughts arising from society's problems.

He said in the midst of such problems including poverty, wars, disease, drug abuse, lack of access to education and illiteracy, sex and HIV/AIDS, it is important to present the message of the Bible and Jesus Christ in a manner that would be understood and applied by them for their spiritual, physical, intellectual and emotional development and resistance against challenges.

Reverend Hoskins said his organisation's crusade is being undertaken in over 100 countries where it has so far distributed 250 million copies of publications free of charge to the youth and have, therefore decided 13 years ago to reach out to them in a special way.

Receiving the publications, Mr Victor Mensah, Ho District Director of Education thanked the donors for their assistance in helping to address the problems, which tended to undermine the self-esteem and stability of many promising children and young people in the country. He urged the pupils to read the publications carefully and with the same seriousness as their books so that they could also grow into useful adults to "bring hope to others who did not have the opportunity they were offered".

Mr Mensah said while the country is making efforts to ensure that all children of school going age in the country attend school by 2006, the dropout rate has been mounting among the 80 per cent now in school. Mr Mensah lamented that financial constraints both at the national level and among parents had acted against the creation of conditions conducive to quality teaching and learning