For some in Ghana and the world over Easter simply marks the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ but for many others, especially the less privileged and the destitute, it is that time when they, too, are remembered – a time they look forward to in the year.
Like their counterparts in the slum areas of the Central Business District of Accra who receive medical screening, used clothing, food and drinks at Joy FM’s Easter Soup Kitchen, orphans and other less privileged children in the Mountain town of Mpraeso Kwahu now look forward to Easter with hope and excitement thanks to the Comfort Obeng Memorial Foundation.
For the second year running, the Foundation with sponsorship from Virtual Security Africa Ltd., dealers in, and providers of, modern security products and services, Unibank, Unicredit, Bank of Africa and Crown Insurance has fed and counseled many children in the area.
Unlike last year when a little over 500 children from the Bless the Child International Orphanage at Nkwatia, Kwahu, in the Eastern Region and other less privileged kids were treated to a buffet lunch, this year’s event saw a doubling of that number.
At the same venue at the forecourt of the Mpraeso Chief Palace over a thousand children and old ladies thronged the grounds eager to catch a bite of a good meal with drinks to go with.
The organizers were visibly overwhelmed by the numbers. But for a pre-event decision to double the quantity of food handed out last year, some would have come and left the venue hungry and disappointed. Fortunately that did not happen.
Last year’s was a buffet because of time, organizers this year decided to give the children a complete package of food and drinks nicely packaged.
Chief Executive Officer of Virtual Security Africa Ltd., Mr. Emmanuel Asiedu Sekyere, who hails from the town, said the decision to make the feast an annual affair was in recognition of the tendency to ignore the less privileged.
The event, he said, was his own small contribution to his community and in fulfillment of one of the dreams of his late mother, Comfort Obeng.
“I have had the benefit of a university education; have been fortunate to live a reasonably decent life and employed people. But I believe I owe my modest success to the country, my hometown and its people for,” he said. “I wanted to give something back that will be beneficial to the poor and vulnerable people in our society,” he added.
A business partner and VP at VSA, Mr. Daniel Lamptey, said his own privileged circumstances imposed on him a duty to give back to the society in whatever small way that he could.
He said the privileged in society must recognize that the less privileged children share the same aspirations as their own children and that it behoved them to give the orphans hope.
According to him, it was frequently important to give the children a reason to hope for a better day and to believe that they are not unwanted members of the society just because their circumstances are different.
Mr. Lamptey was hopeful that with support the project can be extended to provide for more sustainable mechanisms at bettering the lives of the children.
The intermittent drizzling robbed this year’s event of the fun and dance competition witnessed last year which brought prizes to some of the kids.
Another element in this year’s programme was the presence of many old ladies – some looking frail and fragile but managed tag along their grandchildren.
But they did not regret coming.
The Foundation also donated bags of rice, sugar, oil, drinks, water amongst other items to the orphans at Kwahu Christian Village located at Nkwatia-Kwahu.