By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA
Akyem-Tafo, Dec 31, GNA – The SOS Children’s Villages Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation focused on children, has ended a five-year Family Strengthening (FS) programme in the Abuakwa North Municipality.
The FS project was an initiative to fortify the foundation of families by strengthening Family units through support services and resources in line with the SOS vision.
As part of the project, parents and caregivers were given business start up support, skills and funding, teachers capacities were built as well as the provision of WASH facilities in schools to promote hygiene and a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
At a durbar to mark the exit of the project, Madam Josephine Afrawuah, Programme Director of SOS, said the project impacted 250 teachers through in-service training and 7,352 pupils directly in public schools in the Municipality.
It also provided access to education for 1,323 children, and provide good nutrition and health. About 10,579 school children had access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, including borehole water systems and changing rooms for girls in schools.
To sustain the gains, Madam Afrawuah revealed that 15 Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) at Kukurantumi, New and old Tafo communities and 423 caregivers received economic empowerment to earn income and care for the survival needs of the over 1000 children.
She expressed the hope that the impact made through the project interventions would be sustained and thanked the Municipal assembly and the education directorate for an effective collaboration in ensuring the success of the project .
Madam Abena Gyamera, Abuakwa North Municipal Director of Education, described the impact of the project on education as transformative leading to improved results of the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
“Through their dedicated efforts and remarkable impact we have witnessed a significant improvement in the BECE 2023 results,” she said.
She mentioned renovation of seven WASH facilities in schools at Kukurantumi, Tontro, Obodanse and the provision of water systems in schools had not only improved sanitation but also enhanced the overall hygiene standards impacting health and well-being of both students and staff.
“These upgraded facilities ensured that learners access clean and dignified sanitation facilities, especially the adolescent girls getting changing rooms during that time of the month, fostering a conducive learning environment.”
She assured that even though SOS was leaving the community, her outfit would enforce proper maintenance culture of the facilities to stand the test of time.
The water facilities provided for schools under the project consists of a borehole fitted with water pumps and a 5,000 capacity water tank for each of the five beneficiary schools located at Kukurantumi, New and old Tafo and Obodanse.
Alhaji Umar Bodinga, Abuakwa North Municipal Chief Executive, noted that the SOS Children’s Villages FS projects had complemented the Assembly’s development by expanding access to social services, especially in the area of education.
He said SOS’s contribution to the developmental agenda was very significant and expressed the hope that the FS project would be extended.
Citations were presented to Mr David Konotey, FS coordinator, Madam Afrawuah and Madam Abena Gyamera, for their immense contribution towards the success of the project.
GNA