Twelve-year-old Abdul Latif Zulaiya from Accra New Town (Ain Shams Islamic School) has bagged the first prize of Ghc 500.00, laptop computer, kettle, Azhan clock, 5 boxes of Indomie noodles and books, for recording the highest score of 91.8% in the annual Holy Qur’an recitation competition for children organized by Nima Cares Foundation.

The second prize winner, Abdul Rahman Maryam from Al-Banat Islamic School (10 years old), scored 89% and took home a laptop computer, Azhan clock, 3 boxes of indomie noodles and books. The third winner, Ahmed Abdul Qadir (11 years old) from Answarudeen Islamic School, scoring 77.6% also took home a kettle, 2 boxes of indomie noodles and books.

Nima Cares Foundation held the event titled “The Crowns of Blessing” (Taaju Al-Rahmah) on Saturday night, July 4, 2015, at Cheap House in Nima.

Since the commencement of the competition in May 2015, over 60 children from Accra aged between 9-13 years participated. 8 children qualified for the finals, 4 of them girls and 4 boys.

The panel of judges had standards for evaluating the participants such as following the proper rules of articulation, good performance, the quality of voice and the ability to move freely from one level of sound to another. The panel was headed by Dzazaudeen Abubakr Alhassan, the Qur’an supervisor of Al-Huda Islamic Society, alongside various Ghana's senior Muslim scholars in the field.

Dzazaudeen affirmed the importance of such events in raising young generations on the foundations of faith and enhancing their experiences of the true basics of faith.

“The Quran recitation competition has become an annual event endowed with beautiful recitations by children from across Accra. Its aim is to recognize talented youth and encourage them to read and master reciting of the Holy Quran,” said Faisal Bashiru, Founder of Nima Cares Foundation.

He indicated that Nima Cares Foundation aimed at establishing the high status of the Holy Qur’an in the minds of youngsters and to encourage them to follow its sublime teachings.

The event is sponsored by Al-Huda Islamic Society, Afro Arab Microfinance Co. Ltd., Alhaji Asuma Banda (Antrak Airline), Indomie Ghana, Icodehs, Fidaus Social Service, Ihsan Social Service, Ya-Bash Ent, Sfx Studios and Olanrewaju Photography.