A Child and education centered NGO, PLEDGE Ghana with support from UNICEF has presented education materials and tools to some school children and young people in Jonga in the Wa Municipality.
The event at Jonga served as a symbolic presentation and distribution of the packages to the selected project beneficiaries in Upper West.
The support forms part of efforts to motivate children to stay in school and out of school young people learn a trade in their communities instead of moving out from their communities do menials job elsewhere.
The budget line for entire project being implemented in 20 communities in Upper West and Ashanti Regions is 120 thousand Dollars.
UNICEF which is the backbone of the project is providing 80 thousand Dollars whilst PLEDGE Ghana and its partners are complementing with 40 thousand Dollars.
In this write-up, GBCs Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo says in the Upper West Region, one thousand, three hundred (1,300) selected children from ten communities are benefiting from the project.
It is to enable them to stay in school and/or acquire technical and vocational training (TVET) skills. Three hundred of the beneficiaries are in TVET whilst the rest are into formal education.
The school supplies included uniforms, exercise books, pens, pencils, back-packs and foot-wears.
Those in apprenticeship (skills acquisition) received sewing machines, hair-dryers, protective clothing, and other equipment they require to learn their trade.
The Director of Programs of PLEDGE Ghana, Joe Nakpan Nabin who handed over the package indicated that the project is aimed at eliminating the worst form of child labour.
He said through the support as well as awareness creation about the phenomenon, parents who engage their children as well as children who go out on their own to work for money are sensitized against the practice as a way of empowering them.
Mr. Nabin was of the view that child labour can be linked to poverty.
According to him, “We are combating the worst form of child labour and by so doing, we create awareness and also support the children, because you know, child labour is caused by poverty….We are following up again to support the parents in alternative livelihoods so that they can acquire some livelihood skills training so that they would be able to support and anchor the support we have provided,” Mr. Nabin added.
The Director of Programs of PLEDGE Ghana intimated that the project is hinged on protecting children today and the future.
An Assistant Social Development Officer of Social Welfare and Community Development, Veronica Togbe who symbolically took delivery of the items before they were presented to the beneficiaries, was very thankful to PLEDGE Ghana for the reaching out to the less fortunate in society.
An Assistant Project Field Officer of PLEDGE-Ghana, Seidu Fathau helped in distributing the items to the project beneficiaries.
A hearing impaired young mason in Jonga, Ibrahim Dauda also received a package to help him in his job.
PLEDGE is an acronym for Planned Livelihoods for Economic Development and Global Equity.
Story by Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
