A charitable foundation, Cynthia B Kumah Ministries, has donated assorted items to the Rising Star Home and the Potter's Village orphanages at Dodowa in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra region.

The items included soft drinks, toiletries, water, stationery, clothes, balls, plates, and bags of rice. The foundation also feted children of the orphanage to sumptuous meals and good music as well.

Presenting the items, the leader of the charity, Mrs Cynthia B Kumah said the goal of the donation was to put smiles on the children’s faces and to give them hope for a better life and future.

Mrs Kumah who is also a counselor and motivational speaker took her time to teach the kids about personal hygiene and other health-related issues.

She noted that although this was their first donation to the homes, the focus of future projects would support schools, villages that lack basic amenities, old age homes, as well as widows and widowers, which is in line with fulfilling the charity's goal of giving back to society and restoring hope.

Mr Joshua Larweh, a member of the team indicated that many children are suffering around the country and hardly get three square meals and urged capable Ghanaians to make the effort to visit any orphanage home of their choice and bless inmates with whatever they can.

He said followers of all religions have a collective obligation to be their brother’s keeper and must ensure they share the little they have with such children, adding that caring for children is the ultimate form of love of God.

Receiving the items on behalf of the home, the spokesperson for the orphanage Mr Daniel Tetteh Bio, expressed gratitude for the thoughtful gesture and said the items would go a long way to help the children in the home.

Mr. Tetteh Bio said the orphanage was established 25 years ago with about three children by his sister Victoria Namo Sampson, purposely to help children living on the streets and those without parents.

He said, the orphanage currently shelters 43 children and is registered under the Department of Social Welfare and Domestic Violence & Victim Support Unit – DOVVSU who often bring kids from broken homes or street children in the Dodowa environs.

He explained that the orphanage has dire financial struggles, but they are doing their best to create comfortable living conditions for the children, including the six staff who receive woefully inadequate compensation.

He also pointed out that although some well-meaning individuals have been helpful by donating food, clothing and some exercise books, their challenge is the lack of school supplies for the 43 children at the home.

Mr Tetteh Bio explained that majority of the children in the home attend public schools and often need exercise books, school uniforms, examination fees, and pocket money which the home struggles to provide. He therefore used the occasion to appeal to other NGOs for financial assistance to meet such commitments as and when the need arises.

For his part, a social worker at the Potter's Village Orphanage, Mr Ohene Fortune also expressed gratitude to the charity and appealed to other charities and philanthropists to come on board to support the vulnerable and less privileged.