By P.K.Yankey
Takoradi (W/R), October 16, GNA – The Sekondi-Takoradi Cluster Compassion International Ghana Assisted Projects, organized a-four-day residential conference to groom children in the Cluster on the need to avoid irresponsible behaviour in a technologically driven world.
Dubbed, Impact Camp 2025, the conference was on the theme, ” anchored in Christ: equipped to lead empowered by the spirit, living with purpose”.
According to Compassion International Ghana, in an era where cyber has taken over the youth in negative ways, it became necessary to groom the youth for their lives to be centered on Christ and make informed decisions.
The expectation of Compassion was to see a change in the youth who came to the camp to challenge, influence and impact other youth who could not attend the camp meeting.
Mr Bernard Ekow Aggrey, Project Director for the Anaji Estate Christ the King Methodist Youth Development Centre called on the government to strengthen the educational curriculum by reintroducing subjects such as Citizenship, Religious and Moral Education and patriotic subjects to instill social norms and cultural values into the youth.
According to him, when the leadership of the country was strengthened with the right moral values and traditions, the country would do well.
Mr Ekow Aggrey noted with concern that in a technologically driven world, parents were confronted with the task of exercising full control over their children as social media was also grooming them in a way.
He said the traditional way of bringing children up into responsible adulthood no longer held sway due to social changes and asked parents to adopt new strategies to mould the behaviour of their children.
Mr Stephen Larbi Appiah, Partnership Facilitator at Sekondi-Takoradi Cluster of Compassion International Ghana said it was high on their agenda to partner the church to groom children and the youth and release them from poverty.
He said Compassion continued to organize training sessions for parents and caregivers to impact their children in their various homes.
Mr Larbi-Appiah, the growing abuse of the internet, called for training on cyber security which had engaged the attention of Compassion.
He said the organization would team up with parents and caregivers to offer career guidance and counseling sessions to the children in schools as they chose their courses which lead to their future career.
Mr Issaquah Amanu, a Cyber Security Expert, who took the children through the use of social media, mentioned the negative aspects such as fraud, identity theft, cyber bullying, digital footprint and advised them to only learn the positive aspects of such as learning new things, selling crafts and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He said the internet had come to stay and advised the children to protect themselves from fraudsters and other negative aspects.
Mr Amanu urged the government to support rural communities with electricity and tools such as projectors and computer laboratories.
Apostle Dr William Kweku Adenu, Camp Commandant, said Compassion was looking at the very well-being of children from their cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains.
“Compassion is therefore looking at their healthcare, financial empowerment, and mental health awareness in the holistic development of the child”, he added.
Apostle Dr Kweku Adenu who is also the General Overseer of Grace Family Chapel International, advised young girls who put on provocative dresses to expose their nudities on social media, to desist from the practice as it could jeopardize their future.
He reminded them to exhibit positive attitudes and be responsible for their own lives.
Mr Henry Nyanzu Kofie, Project Director of Compassion International Ghana said the organization would continue to instill Christian values in the children and groom them to become critical thinkers adding as youth, “whatever they do, should be centred around the Lord and Master Jesus Christ”.
Mr Kofie said the children would leave the conference with a renewed mind and spirit to empower and impact others.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/George-Ramsey Benamba