By Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Ghana Education Service, GES, Social Welfare, and Community Development in the Atiwa East District, in collaboration with the SOS Children’s Village, Asiakwa, have inaugurated a Community Child Protection Committee and Child Rights and Responsibility Clubs at Adasawase in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region.
During the inauguration, the Atiwa East District Education Director, Pearl Leonel Acquah, called on stakeholders, especially the media, to help protect the rights of children through their platforms by educating and sensitizing the public on the rights and responsibilities of children in the country.
The inauguration began with a float through the principal streets of Adasawase with the pupils holding placards with inscriptions “Say No To Child Abuse and Child Labor,” “Say No To Child Neglect,” “Stop Domestic Abuse Against Children,” “It Takes All Hands To Protect One Child,” and “Stop Drug Abuse, It Can Harm You in The Future,” among others.
The programme which was a project by SOS Children’s Village Asiakwa through their Family Strengthening Programme, FSP brought together traditional leaders, the education director, and pupils of Adasawase D/A Basic School, Adasawase Presby, and Adasawase Methodist Basic Schools. The pupils performed poetry recitals, choreography, and drama on child protection rights to educate and entertain the gathering.
The Atiwa East District Education Director, Pearl Leonel Acquah, during her address noted that child rights protection requires a deliberate effort from all stakeholders to help promote the welfare of children in communities and commended SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa, for the initiative, which will help improve the performance of pupils in the district.
The Family Strengthening Programmes Coordinator of the SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa, David Kanortey, speaking on behalf of the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages, Ghana, Alexander Mar Kekula, noted that the inauguration of the committee and clubs shows their clear commitment that every child deserves safety, dignity, and the chance to thrive in an environment where they are loved, heard, and supported.
Mr. Kanortey reiterated that the initiative is a response to the everyday challenges confronted by children and also to identify, prevent, and respond to abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children. He mentioned that their project has supported 170 caregivers and 568 children in Adasawase.
The District Chief Executive of Atiwa East, Ernest Owusu Ntim, commended SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa, for the initiative and pledged his support for their activities. He noted that to supplement SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa is doing, they will embark on a massive educational infrastructure improvement in Adasawase to help improve academic performance of pupils.
SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa also used the opportunity to present start-up business equipment to young people including industrial sewing and knitting machines for tailors, standing dryers, washing basins, foot spas, make-up kits for hairdressers and make-ups artists, grinding and electric welding machines for welders among others. They also donated some tables and chairs and sanitary items to the schools as well as some office chairs and tables to the Adasawase CHPS compound.
