The Korea Food for Hungry International (KFHI), has donated three 40-feet container containing school bags, exercise books and foot wears to the Child Development Centre of the Catholic Dioceses of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

The Child Development Centre which begun fifteen years ago by the Catholic Church, has reached out to over 300 needy children mostly brought from the streets to the home and supported in the areas of education and formative training.

Whilst majority of the beneficiaries are gainfully employed and are now breadwinners to others, some are currently at the tertiary levels and vocational training institutes.

Presenting the items on behalf of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatana, Most Reverend Alfred Agenta to the beneficiaries, Very Reverend Father Gabriel Atidoo expressed gratitude to the people of Korea and the KFHI and Pastor Jabez for the donation.

He stressed that the Diocese had taken child protection very seriously and had included in the diocesan strategic plan to be implemented beginning from 2013 to 2017 noting that with the support received from KFHI, it would help the Church to achieve that vision.

He indicated that when Afrikids the main partners announced their intention of withdrawing from Child Development Centre, the project management of the Centre had been working tirelessly to find a new partner to continue with the project.

“It was therefore welcoming news when we were informed about a new friendship that was starting between the project and the KFHI through Pastor Jabez Seunghae Goo of Jesus Gospel Church”

He expressed optimism that the collaboration between the Centre and the KFHI would grow from strength to strength to help support more deprived children to grow to become responsible in society in future.

He challenged the Children at the home to emulate the examples of the Korean Children, who sacrificed by manufacturing books and foot wears for them as their contribution.

He noted that they could do this by contributing their talents to helping others especially the aged.

The Project Manager of the Child Development Centre, Mr. Felix Fredrick Amenga-Etego, indicated that the Centre was overstretched and said there were about 1,000 deprived children on the waiting list and said the Centre had not gotten much resources to cater for such a number and appealed to other charitable organisations to come to the aid of the Centre.

He announced that there was a possibility that KFHI could support the centre in the area of food rationing, particularly rice, and also help in the area of water and sanitation in the Centre’s operational areas.

He said the Department of Social Welfare sees the Centre as a very safe place for nurturing children and had been recommending many deprived children to the centre.

Mr Amega-Etego indicated that apart from the educational support, the Centre over the years had been offering moral and behavioral counseling to the children in their formative ages.

Master George Osei, one of the beneficiaries of the Centre, who is currently pursuing a degree course in early childhood development studies at the University of Winneba, said but for the support from the Centre he, could not have been where he is now.**