Development Bank Ghana (DBG), a development financial institution, has presented assorted food items to inmates of the Gnani Alleged Witches Camp in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region as part of activities to mark this year’s Mothers’ Day celebration.

The items included bags of rice, cooking oil, canned tomatoes, drinks, among others. The gestures by the financial institution formed part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to put smile on the faces of the vulnerable in society. Presenting the items to the inmate at the camp, the Head of CSR at DBG, Barbara Anawonu Wricketts, said the gesture was to show love to the inmates and remind them that they were not alone.

She said the items would help alleviate the plight of the vulnerable and lessen the burden on the caretakers of the camp. She indicated that the visit to the camp also afforded them the opportunity to interact with inmates and understand their challenges, so as to assist them. Ms Wricketts reiterated the Bank’s commitment to continue to assist the women to improve on their living conditions.

During the interaction with the residents, the team learned about the various challenges they women faced. The women expressed a need for essential items such as clothing, drinking water, food, and soap. They also highlighted the lack of access to education for their children, which jeopardizes their future. Additionally, they also expressed their need for medical care.

The Caretaker of the camp, Alhassan Shei, thanked the Bank for the gesture and said it would go a long way to ameliorate the plight of the vulnerable women. He, however, appealed for more support for the women to improve their living conditions.

The Gnani Alleged Witches Camp is currently home to 1,028 occupants, including 313 women, 105 men, and 610 children. These individuals have sought refuge in the camp due to alleged practices of witchcraft or wizardry.

In December last year, Staff of DBG presented an amount of GHS100,000.00 each to the Breast Cancer Units of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital. The donation was part of an initiative by the Staff to raise funds to support treatment costs of breast cancer patients.

Development Bank Ghana is a wholesale financial institution established by the Government of Ghana. DBG acts as a provider of long-term capital to the market with a mission to foster strong partnerships to finance economic growth, create jobs, and build capacity for SMEs. The organisation is committed, aligned and strengthened to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ambitions and targets while implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy aimed at creating shared value and impact with purpose. The Bank has received funds from the World Bank, European Investment Bank, Kreditanstalt Für Wiederaufbau (KfW), and the African Development Bank.