GNA – Bishop David Kwadwo Ofosuhene, Board Chairman Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Connexions Ghana, an NGO has called on stakeholders to nurture and guide orphans and vulnerable children along the paths toward self-sufficiency in future.
Bishop Ofosuhene said the care for the vulnerable by stakeholders is necessary for their development and growth towards becoming responsible citizens.
The OVC Connexions is an affiliate of Sustainable Connexions International (SCI), Board Chairman told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of a sponsorship programme for children at Kpone-Katamanso near Tema.
Bishop Ofosuhene said the sponsorship programme was to ensure that all vulnerable children were empowered to have a better future and contribute to national development.
“We are encouraging all stakeholders, especially churches, pastors and Christian organisations, to get involved in activities that complement Government’s efforts for the desired results,” Bishop Ofosuhene stated.
He explained that the OVC’s mission was, “to leverage the collective resources of local and global partners to ensure that orphans, vulnerable children and their caregivers acquired the necessary knowledge, and skills to survive, and excel in the world environment”.
Bishop Ofosuhene indicated that orphans and vulnerable children were at a greater risk of slipping through the cracks of existing social, educational and economic systems if a critical platform was not set to assist them.
The Board Chairman noted that the Connexions had officially launched the ‘Tender Loving Care Project,’ which aimed to empower the underprivileged in society and was on course to create attention on the need to help orphans in the Ghanaian society.
He said the interventions covered teaching the children to gain proficiency in the use of the English Language and master basic Math skills, assist them to register or renew their National Health Insurance, give them Life Skills training, and offer child support which included school feeding, providing examination fees, supplies and uniforms.
Mr Eric Amano-Mpianim, the Country Coordinator of OVC Connexions Ghana, said the team conducted a two-week assessment exercise at the Oyibi and Saasabi Communities in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality to determine those who qualified to benefit from the project.
He said the overall objective of the exercise was to identify OVCs between the ages of three and sixteen for subsequent support, adding that a total of 235 OVCs were assessed.
GNA