From Sebastian R. Freiku
World Vision Ghana, a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has inaugurated two 6-seater institutional latrines and handed over educational materials and medical supplies to the Sekyere East District Assembly.
The educational materials include text books, toys for kids, as well as medical supplies, including surgical kits, oxygen, diapers, patient care kits and rigid plastic containers. The beneficial schools for the two 6-seater institutional latrines are Ahwerewa Primary and Nkwankwanua JHS.
The presentation of the items falls under Gifts-in-Kind (GIK), constituting resources or resources-in-kind donated from various sources, including governments, individuals, corporations, companies and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) to World Vision.
GIK are used in providing needed logistics, which, otherwise, could not be procured due to budget limitations. Mr. Atta Arhin, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Manager of World Vision Ghana, said the items were to support the effective delivery of quality education and healthcare in the district.
He disclosed that the two institutional latrines were valued at GH¢125,800, while the medical supplies and educational materials cost GH¢166,504. Mr. Arhin indicated that provision of safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene services were top priorities of World Vision, for which it was committed to supporting District Assemblies, the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service.
He also revealed that between 1985 and 2010, World Vision Ghana invested over US$60 million to improve the socio- economic lives of more than 1.3 million people in over 1,600 communities, 150 schools and clinics throughout the country. Mr. Arhin also stated that under the ‘For Every Child’, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme, his outfit was investing US$30 million to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene for one million people.
The Sekyere East Area Development Program (SEADP) Manager of World Vision, Madam Anna Nabere, said the SEADP has had effective collaboration with all stakeholders in the district, which had enhanced its operations.
Solomon Adjei Mensah, District Chief Executive, expressed appreciation to World Vision, which he described as a major development partner, and has contributed a lot to the development of the district, especially, in the areas of health and education. He urged beneficiary health centres and schools to put the items to good use.
Nana Otuo Acheampong, District Education Director, and Mr. Paul Owusu Agyekum, who stood in for the District Health Director, commended WV Ghana for its immense contribution towards the delivery of quality education and healthcare. World Vision has been working in Ghana since 1979, pursuing integrated community development interventions to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and their families.
Currently, WV Ghana works through 31 Area Development Programmes (ADPs), which are integrated long term development programmes located across all the 10 administrative regions in Ghana. In the ADPs, WV Ghana works in close collaboration with the communities, local government and district assemblies, NGOs, churches, faith-based organisations (FBOs), and other stakeholders in providing basic social services.