Regional News of Monday, 4 September 2023

Source: Michael Oberteye

CEO of Team CSR-Ghana calls for concerted efforts to assist abused women and children

Some 200 inmates of the Potters’ Village benefitted from over GH₵70,000 worth of educational items Some 200 inmates of the Potters’ Village benefitted from over GH₵70,000 worth of educational items

CEO and founder of Team CSR-Ghana, an NGO has urged major stakeholders to continue to pull resources to support abused children and women in the country.

Mr. Jonathan Akuamoah emphasized that assisting homes of abused women and children serves as a critical intervention in not only clearing the streets of such disadvantaged persons but also going a long way to guarantee their secure future.

The CEO/Founder was speaking when he presented some educational materials and a mechanized borehole to inmates of the Potters’ Village, a home for abused women and children located at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.

As part of efforts to assist such disadvantaged persons, Mr. Akuamoah while identifying the situation as a major canker in society called for support for facilities established by private individuals to accommodate affected persons to enable them provide hope for the victims as government can’t do it all alone.

“It is a major problem and I know we depend so much on the government but the government can’t do everything, we as individuals, as corporations especially need to stand up and help facilities such as these be able to grow and have the capacity to help more,” said the CEO.

The idea to select Potters' Village, he explained, stemmed from its efficiency in providing a safe haven for abused women and children to guarantee them a responsible future.

He urged the inmates, particularly the children not to despair by their circumstances but study hard to achieve their dreams.

Mr. Akuamoah while underscoring the impact of education expressed hope that the items would go a long way to adequately prepare the pupils for their academic studies.

Some 200 inmates of the Potters’ Village on Saturday, 02 September, 2023 benefitted from over GH₵70,000 worth of educational items and a mechanized borehole from the benevolence of Team CSR-Ghana and its friends.

The NGO in partnership with SGRHO SORORITY NU LAMBDA and OPP FRATERNITY TAU CHI on Saturday, through its back to school with Operation Big Book Bag initiative, presented four laptops, assorted textbooks, school bags amongst others to members of the home.

The CEO in an interview noted that the gesture was inspired by the dire needs for educational materials by the home to offer sound academic training for its young inmates.

“We know the kids need help so we decided to present these items to help in their education and we know they don’t have laptops so we decided to give them laptops,” Mr. Akuamoah said in an interview after the presentation at the school premises.

He also appealed to other benevolent individuals and organisations home and abroad to extend a hand of assistance to the deprived persons and communities in the country.

Executive Director of the Potters Village, Nana Ama Adu Owusu, stressing on the difficulties the teachers faced holding ICT lessons for the pupils without laptops said instructors were forced to resort only to theory during ICT lessons due to lack of computers.

“Due to the lack of laptops, we run only theories during ICT lessons and I don’t know how practicable that can be so we’re very grateful for these laptops,” she expressed.

Expressing her gratitude to the CSR, she was optimistic that the gesture would go a long way to enable the instructors to adequately offer a solid ICT foundation for the kids.

According to her, it is the role of society to assume the responsibilities of abused children and women in society.

Appealing to benevolent organisations to come on board and support the home complete its uncompleted infrastructural projects, the executive director said completing the stalled girls' dormitory remains its priority and pleaded with members of the general public to support the facility with building materials and money to enable the home complete the block.

She also appealed for further assistance to aid in the feeding of the inmates.

The Potter’s Village was founded in May 2000, with the aim of providing care and support to women and children suffering from domestic violence and abuse.

The organisation, previously known as Women’s Refuge & Child Survival Africa (WORCSA), was established as a shelter and refuge centre in Ghana for battered women and abused children, many of whom have a bleak future and need love, care, and protection in order to live fulfilled lives.

Team CSR-Ghana with the support of its partners in the United States, has over the years undertaken various projects in Ghana including the construction of 100 boreholes at a cost of $500,000. Other projects include schools, clinics, ICT centers, etc.