By Benjamin A. Commey, GNA
Gomoa Fetteh (C/R), Feb 26, GNA – Nii Plant Group, a car rental company operating in the transport, tourism and events space, has presented a cash donation to Village of Hope Orphanage to sustain and expand its life-changing interventions.
The donation, made in the form of a cheque, marks the third consecutive year the company has supported the orphanage.
Though the exact amount was not disclosed, the company described it as a significant contribution aimed at supporting the home’s operations and the welfare of the children.
Speaking in an interview with the media after the presentation, Mrs. Wilhemina Adoma Opoku, the Human Resource Manager of Nii Plant Group and Car Rentals, said the gesture reflected the company’s commitment to giving back to the community and formed part of its annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
“We are here this afternoon to donate to Village of Hope Orphanage, something we do every year as part of our corporate social responsibility initiative,” she said.
“This is the third time we are doing this, and we remain committed to supporting the orphanage.”
According to Mrs. Opoku, the company’s connection to the orphanage dated back to the early days of the business. She explained that the idea and name of one of the group’s companies were conceived while her bosses were resting near the orphanage during a hiking trip.
“They were on a bike hike along this stretch and stopped to rest in front of Village of Hope. It was there that the name of one of our companies came to mind,” she recounted.
“It was remarkable and almost spiritual, and we made it a point that every year we would come back to give and celebrate with the orphans.”
She commended the management of the orphanage for maintaining a clean and well-organised environment, noting that the facility operated without government grants.
“When you come here, if you are not told, you wouldn’t even know it is an orphanage. The environment is clean, and they are doing a legitimate and commendable job caring for the children,” she said.
Mrs. Opoku also called on other corporate organisations to support the orphanage.
“They do not receive any government grant, so they are doing everything on their own. I will implore other organisations to also come and donate. It is important that we all play our part in looking after the vulnerable in society,” she urged.
Founded by three ministers of the Church of Christ, Jerry Reynolds, Emmanuel Alfred Asante and Christian Nsua, in February 1996, Village of Hope was established to support orphaned, abandoned, destitute and needy children.
Due to land litigation at its original site in Accra, the home relocated in 1998 to Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region, after the chief of the area offered land for expansion.
From a single house, Village of Hope has developed into a holistic social intervention hub.
Its operations now include a residential children’s village, two babies’ homes working in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare, a vocational training institute in Accra for street-connected youth, two basic schools, a senior high school, and a 70-bed hospital serving multiple districts.
The vocational centre at Ayawaso, now known as Hope Training Institute, has trained more than 300 street teenagers in employable skills such as hairdressing, sewing, leatherworks, catering and auto mechanics.
Trainees are equipped with tools and start-up capital upon completion to enable them to reintegrate into their communities.
In Gomoa Fetteh, the establishment of Hope Christian Academy in 2002 ensured that children in care had access to quality basic education, introducing a Hope College a decade later at the senior high level.
Healthcare services have also expanded significantly.
What began as a small clinic in 2003 has evolved into Hope Christian Hospital, now functioning as a de facto district hospital for Gomoa East and surrounding districts, including Awutu Senya East and Effutu.
The facility provides specialist services, including eye and dental clinics, laboratory services and a neonatal intensive care unit.
Mr. Fred Asare, Group Managing Director, Village of Hope, appealed to government, corporate organisations and philanthropists to provide stronger donor support to the hub to sustain and expand its life-changing interventions.
He said with the increased population size at the orphanage, coupled with the number of secondary school and tertiary students it was supporting, financial constraints remained the institution’s most pressing challenge.
“A major challenge has been financial, being able to care for so many children,” he said.
“Each university student needs fees, accommodation, a laptop and other essentials. Providing food, clothing and healthcare for all the children is a huge responsibility.”
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade