World Vision Ghana has brought smiles to the faces of hundreds of children in the Wa West District after organising a mass birthday celebration and donating educational and hygiene supplies to pupils in rural communities.

The initiative forms part of the organisation’s annual “Bounce Back” birthday celebration programme, which aims to give vulnerable children the opportunity to celebrate their birthdays while also supporting their education and well-being.

The colourful event took place at the Tanvaari Community and brought together more than 600 children from Tanvaari and the neighbouring Dariguteng community.

Speaking at the event, the Community Engagement and Sponsorship Programme Officer (CESP) of World Vision Ghana, Alberta Owusua, explained that many parents in rural communities are unable to celebrate their children’s birthdays due to financial difficulties.

She said sponsors in the United States contribute funds each year to ensure the children feel loved and appreciated.

“We work with children, and children are our focus. So everything we do, we hope and pray that children in the area will grow well, have enough food to eat, they will not be falling sick, and they will be enjoying good education,” Madam Owusua said.

According to her, World Vision Ghana currently sponsors more than 4,000 children across the Wa West Area Programme. She explained that this year, the organisation decided to combine resources to organise joint celebrations for selected communities.

She disclosed that the Tanvaari event catered for about 410 children from Tanvaari and 210 from Dariguteng.

Aside from the birthday celebration, the children received school bags, uniforms and hygiene items, including towels, sponges, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.

Madam Owusua said the intervention was informed by conditions observed in the communities, where some children carry books in polythene bags and wear torn uniforms to school.

Girls aged 11 years and above also received sanitary pads to support menstrual hygiene.

Madam Owusua described menstrual poverty as a major challenge in the area, noting that many parents cannot afford sanitary pads for their daughters.

She said a packet of sanitary pads costs about GH¢16, an amount beyond the reach of many families, forcing some girls to stay away from school during their menstrual periods.

She appealed to the government to support rural schools with free sanitary pads and adequate classroom furniture.

The impact of the support was immediate, with some school dropouts reportedly returning to school after hearing about the donations.

Headteacher of Tanvaari Catholic Junior High School, Mr Boori Joseph, said the gesture had motivated many children to resume their education.

“Our enrolment was around 300 plus, but today, as the birthday gifts came, those who had even dropped out are now returning to school,” he said.

Receiving the items on behalf of the school, Mr Joseph thanked World Vision Ghana for the support and said the donations would greatly improve the children’s lives.

He noted that the school bags would help protect books from damage during the rainy season, while the uniforms would boost the children’s confidence.

He also said the hygiene products would improve the pupils’ health and academic performance, while the sanitary pads would help keep girls in school.

World Vision Project Officer, Mr Ankaara Faanye, who presented the items, urged school authorities to ensure fairness in the distribution process.

Some of the children could not hide their excitement as they expressed gratitude to the sponsors.

“Thank you, sponsors, for celebrating our birthday. I never celebrate my birthday,” one of the beneficiaries, Bonkaatu Ellen, said emotionally.

Another pupil, Yiroo Vivian Sabaato, also thanked the organisation for making the children feel special.

As part of the wider initiative, World Vision Ghana is also conducting health screening exercises for an additional 1,500 children in three other communities within the district.

The screenings will focus on hepatitis, as well as eye, ear and nose conditions, to help improve the overall health and well-being of the children.