Winneba (C/R), Nov 11, GNA-Helen Project International, a Non-Governmental Organization based in the United States of America (USA) has sponsored four grandmothers in Effutu with 100 US dollars each to start their businesses.
The support, a micro-lending project, which does not attract interest, forms part of the City of Charlottesville, USA-Winneba Sister City programme.
A total of 87 red-emergency care bags, pens and pencils donated by KC/CVA Hospital and the Charlottesville Alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Sister City in Winneba were distributed to grandmothers and grandchildren present at the ceremony held in Winneba.
Rev. Mrs. Dale Johnson, Executive Director, Rev. Mrs. Karen Cooper, Staff Volunteer, Deacon Charles Cooper and Ms. Ernestina Nabari Yawson, Manager of the project in Ghana presented the items.
Helen Project is an organization in the Commonwealth of Virginia with the mission to financially assist African Grandmothers living in Kenya, Ghana and South Africa who are raising orphan grandchildren, to be independent.
The Board of Directors of the Project, in a speech, assured the grandmothers that, there was hope despite the low productivity in their businesses because of COVID-19 Pandemic.
The grandmothers were urged to find other ways to sustain their businesses to support their grandchildren.
They were reminded that the COVID-19 pandemic was still around and as a result, they should strictly adhere to the safety measures in place, to protect themselves and others from being victims of the pandemic.
Since the establishment of the project in 2013 in Winneba, more than 50 grandmothers, some of whom are into businesses such as selling smoked fish, roasted plantain and peanuts, are being helped to properly take care of children and orphans under their care to become useful citizens in the society.
The Organization during the heat of the COVID-19 outbreak last year, provided hot meals for grandmothers and orphans in the Winneba Township.
GNA