Smile Wide Foundation; Touching lives in the slums

By Beatrice Senadju

For over five years, the Smile Wide Foundation, a non-governmental and non-profit Organization has been impacting the lives of the needy and vulnerable in many rural communities across the country. The foundation has supported rural women through skill training, donating educational materials to rural schools and its annual Christmas project, aimed at putting smiles on the faces of the poor in society.

In ensuring no one is left out this Christmas and New year, the Smile Wide Foundation partnered with Grace and Smiles Foundation to touch the lives of people in Agbogbloshie, a slum Community near Achimota, in the Greater Accra region.

Realizing sanitation was not at its best in the town, which has led to an increasing number of Malaria cases within the enclave, the Smile Wide Foundation took turns to educate indigenes on the dangers of Malaria and the need to sleep in treated mosquito nets to protect themselves.

A Member of Smile Wide Foundation, Mr. Benjamin Osei Boateng charged the people to test for malaria before starting any malaria treatment as this act can be detrimental to their health.

“Malaria cases keep increasing and it kills more people in Ghana than the novel Coronavirus and HIV/AIDS. We must be aware of these untold facts and be armed accordingly. We all, especially pregnant women and children, need to keep our environment clean and sleep in treated mosquito nets to prevent us from getting malaria” he said.

Treated Mosquito nets were given out to all mothers including pregnant women after the education.

In all, more than 500 people received items worth Eleven Thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 11,000) from Smile Wide Foundation and Grace and Smiles. Other philanthropists also donated in support of the project.

The items donated included clothing, shoes, bags, biscuits, candies, exercise books, pencils, soaps, and drinks.

The founder of Smile Wide Foundation, Madam Beatrice Senadju who doubles as a broadcaster, said, the donation is designed to make the people feel belonged in society. She said the Christmas project is an annual project and also forms part of their social responsibility to society. “Christmas is a season of love and sharing, hence, the need to share the little we have with those who cannot afford. We thank God for how far He has brought us and going forward, we are looking forward to doing bigger projects and impacting the lives of rural dwellers through skill training in the country.

I believe this will go a long way in improving the living standards of people within the communities”. She also thanked all who supported in making the “Make them Smile Christmas Project” a success. Smile Wide Foundation and Grace and Smile also dined with the people of Alogboshie. Assorted food items were shared. The Ghana Partner for Grace and Smiles, Mr. Isaac Eshun called on all to support projects like this to give hope to the hopeless in society. “I’m happy seeing the smiles on their faces as they receive these goodies. It is a testament that we can all make the world a better place if we extend a helping hand to others. I will therefore entreat you all to continually support us to be a blessing to many”.

There were other activities like Bible quiz, dancing competition, singing competition, balloon game among others. Winners of each competition received prizes from the foundations.

The Head Pastor of World Community Churches International, Bethel Assembly, Pastor Kwame Obeng Dartey, thanked Smile Wide Foundation and Grace & Smile for choosing the church premise to host the Alogboshie community for such a program. He said this gesture is worth emulating and pleaded that it should be repeated in the coming years. Some of the beneficiaries thanked the organizers for being a blessing to them this yuletide.