By Edward Dankwah
Ada (GAR), June 14, GNA – The Accra Golden Lions Club has donated 25 branded life jackets to the pupils of Pediatorkorpe D/A Basic School, who usually cross the Volta Lake to the mainland to access basic education.
The donation dubbed “Save the Kids Project” came as a timely intervention for the school, where many puplis were required to cross a river daily to attend classes.
It sought to improve their safety in their quest to assessing basic education.
Mr. Sampson Wolanyo Deklu, Club President, Accra Golden Lions Club, said the project was one of their major high impact activities for their 2024-2025 service year.
He said as Lions, and in alignment with their global impact strategy, they believed that no child should have to risk their life to access basic education.
The Club President said this initiative aligned with their commitment to youth empowerment, one of their eight global thematic areas.
The other global thematic areas includes: Childhood Cancer, Hunger, Environment, Diabetes, Disaster Relief, Youth, among others.
“This particular initiative falls under our focus on youth, reflecting our commitment to empowering and protecting young people”
“We are hopeful that this donation will significantly help address safety concerns, enabling the pupils to continue pursuing basic education as a foundation for improving their future livelihoods,” he added.
Mr. David Tetteh Paa Nii Numo, the headmaster of Pediatorkorpe D/A Basic School said they were deeply grateful, as this has brought significant relief to the children, most especially when they had to attend sports programs, the BECE, and other activities that required them to cross to the other side of the river.
The headmaster said many times, they have had to cross without life jackets, however, this donation would go a long way in ensuring their safety and giving them the confidence to cross without fear.
He said due to the small and sometimes unstable nature of the boats they used, they often had to ferry a few students at a time, and that with the provision of these life jackets, the children would feel a greater sense of safety and security during the crossing.
Mr. Numo said so far, no fatalities had been recorded as a result of students crossing the river to school, and for that, they remained deeply grateful.
“We continue to pray that such incidents will never occur, now or in the future,” he added.
He said the school has faced numerous challenges over the years, but a few NGOs had consistently provided support in the best way they could.
Mr. Numo said the school faced a shortage of textbooks and exercise books for the children.
He added that some pupils came to school without footwear or uniforms, and at times, teachers took it upon themselves to provide or sew uniforms to ensure the children could attend school properly equipped.
The headmaster called on NGOs, the government, various corporate bodies, and individuals to also come to their aid in the little way they could.
The population of the Pediatorkorpe currently stands at 378 students
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah