By Mohammed Balu
Tumu (UWR), March 16, GNA – The Gbarakan Women Group has donated 10 bedside lockers valued at about GHC12,000.00, to the children’s ward of the Tumu Municipal hospital, to help patients keep their personal belongings safely while on admission.
Madam Ruth Lardi Issah, the Chairperson of the group said the donation was motivated by the challenges mothers and caregivers faced in keeping their belongings and medicines safe during their hospital stay.
The group made the donation during the celebration of the international women day celebration at Tumu with stakeholders and other non-governmental organisations under the theme: ‘Give to Gain’.
She said the lockers would provide a convenient place for mothers to keep their bags, medicines and other personal items.
She the joint savings was an initiative by the women’s group to support the welfare of its members and their families, but they decided to extend the assistance to the hospital to improve conditions at the children’s ward.
Mr Abdulai Adinan, the Administrator of Tumu Hospital, expressed gratitude to the group and said the lockers would improve care and comfort for mothers and children receiving treatment at the facility.
He appealed to individuals and organisations to support the hospital in addressing other pressing needs since the facility remains the main referral centre serving communities in the municipality.
“The children’s ward of the hospital remains closed after it caved in about three years ago, leaving children living in a makeshift apartment, which is not conducive to their upkeep in the hospital,” he said .
Madam Antoinette Kuukye, the Programme Manager of SILAP, observed that women play a central role in families, agriculture, and markets yet their voices are underrepresented where critical decisions are made.
She pointed out that women’s representation in the Sissala East Assembly, which is made up of 30 members had only one woman and needs to be changed.
Mr Yakubu Benin Adamu, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive, commended the women for the initiative and called on stakeholders to support women to venture into dry season farming to improve their livelihoods.
He said empowering women economically would enable them to contribute more meaningfully to community development and support social interventions such as the donation made to the hospital.
Madam Marian Ofori Twumasi, the Chief Executive Officer ( CEO) of Mariseth Farms called for stronger support for women and girls in agriculture and education, noting that women played a critical role in sustaining families and communities.
The CEO praised the resilience of rural women who wake up early to manage household duties before heading to farms to cultivate crops such as maize, millet, groundnuts and vegetables.
She encouraged communities to support the girl child to stay in school and provide women farmers with access to land, training and farming tools, stressing that empowering women would lead to stronger families and more prosperous communities.
Madam Abiba Tumbie, the Chairperson for the event, and the Assistant Headmistress Academic, Tumu Secondary Technical School encouraged women to remain united and continue investing in productive ventures that will improve their welfare and that of their families.
She stressed the need for women to support one another and take advantage of available opportunities to become economically independent while contributing to development in their communities.
Gbarakan women’s group began in 2016 with 17 women with a small idea to save together and it has since increased to 130 members from savings to farming and entrepreneurship.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/ Christabel Addo