By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, Nov. 07 GNA – Chance for Change (CfC), an NGO dedicated to keep children out of the streets and provide for them and their families has rolled out a programme intended to rescue about 4,500 street children across the country.
The rescued children would be catered for and provided a home.
It has already established a residential facility in Accra, where children whose parents and relatives could not be located, would be provided with a shelter.
The organization would also provide financial support to parents with street children so they could start a meaningful business and be able to cater for the children.
Mr David Teye Zanyo, Kumasi branch Manager of CfC, who announced this, said already about 4,000 street children had been rescued and provided with shelter, education, and training with financial support provided to parents to cater for them.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening of a branch of the Organization in Kumasi that coincided with a meeting with key stakeholders, Mr Zanyo said through counselling, monitoring and other social services provided to these rescued children and their families, some of them were now leaving a meaningful life and contributing to the development of society.
He said CfC was committed to ensuring the safety, education and health of street children, while providing them with the requisite skills and training that would earn them jobs and prevent them from going back onto the streets.
He said about 402 children had been rescued in Kumasi with 12 of them unified with their families, while the others had been put in school and supported financially.
He said the ‘Back to school’ programme, which had been introduced aimed at helping vulnerable and needy children to enrol in school and supported to stay and remain in school till they were finished with their education at the basic levels.
Miss Bernice Akakpo, Social Welfare Worker with CfC, said the Organization had put together special plans such as Family and Community Strengthening Programmes to identify more vulnerable community members and empower them to take good care of their children.
GNA