The Reverend Atta Mensah, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, has expressed gratitude to the Helen Project International lnc for its continuous support to grandmothers in the municipality.
He prayed for the initiators, executives, directors, donors and management of the project for the good job done, and in helping the beneficiaries to cater for their orphaned grandchildren’s education.
Rev Mensah made the commendation at an event organised by the management of the project at Winneba to celebrate grandmothers who have made good use of the support offered them.
The Helen Project International Inc, is a Non-Governmental Organisation, established in 2013 to support grandmothers with seed capital to establish their own businesses for them to care for their grandchildren whose parents were no more.
The project is part of a Memorandum of Understanding officially signed in August 2010 in United States of America confirming the City of Charlottesville and Effutu Municipal Assembly as Sister Cities.
The programme was attended by Rev Dr Dale Johnson, Executive Director of the Project, Rev Mrs Karen Cooper, Board Secretary, Rev Kelvin Mattox, Board Treasurer and Mr Charles Cooper, the Project Donor, all from the USA.
The Very Rev Eldad Bonney, former Presiding Member (PM) and Mr Yakubu Quansah, the current PM of Effutu Municipal Assembly, among other personalities, also graced the occasion.
The grandmothers were given the opportunity to share their business experiences and also inform the house of their challenges.
Rev Mensah stated that the project had not only given them capital, but also hope, boosting their morals to engage in petty trading to use the proceeds to fend for the orphans.
He gave the assurance that the Assembly would factor them in its next budget and acquire learning materials for their grand children, saying, “To whom much is given much is expected,” hence they should ensure the orphans acquired education and the needed knowledge and skills to become self-sufficient in future.
Ms Ernestina Nabari Yawson, the project Director in Ghana, in an interview with the media, stated that the project commenced with five grandmothers and currently had 56 grandmothers of which 100 US Dollars interest free micro loan payable for one year, was given to each of them to start a business to help take care of the grandchildren.
She indicated that some of the beneficiaries who were into businesses such as selling smoked fish and roasted plantain and peanuts, were being helped to properly take care of the orphans and it was yielding good dividends.
“There are grandmothers in the United States but know that it is God that touched the hearts of the initiators and the donors to come to your aid.
“Hence the need for you to always remember them in your prayers and also to let the welfare of the children be your topmost priority,” Mrs Yawson stated.
Rev Mrs Johnson, in an interview, said they came down to join the project Director and others to celebrate the grandmothers and also be abreast with how their businesses were doing, know their challenges, and to support six new grandmothers.
They would then report back to the entire directors and donors in the USA, she said.
She said they visited the homes and work places of some of the beneficiaries and had been impressed on how well the start-up capital had been utilised for ventures, which were yielding good returns.
“We applaud and encourage them to continue to concentrate on their businesses to become totally independent,” Rev Mrs Johnson said.
Later, Madam Comfort Allotey and Madam Elizabeth Essel, pioneers of the project, thanked the initiators and the donors for the support, and prayed that God would bless and also guide them in all their endeavours.
GNA
