The Pamoja Community Investment Fund, has donated items to support Street Academy, a non-profit making Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that caters for the needs of the underprivileged around the capital.
The donation included educational materials such as books and pencils; clothes, packs of food for their lunch and an undisclosed amount of money.
They also donated sporting kits like boots, soccer and volley to the academy.
It was carried out together with the Family Caring for Families (FCO) and the Faithful Steward (FS), all based in Canada.
Mrs Nicole Busari, Co-founder and Board of Directors of Pamoja explained that the organization consisted of a group of Canadian-African diasporans who had put both financial and intellectual resources together to foster various African community developments and the Group would take note of the various amenities needed by the school and provide the necessary funding.
Mrs Busari called on the African diasporans to look back to their roots to solve Africa’s problems.
Madam Yvonne Brown, a member of the Power Think Tank Team of Pamoja said they came down to Ghana to focus on community development in different forms and to partner local organizations to benefit the Ghanaian community.
Madam Brown, who is also a general member of the Board of Directors for FCO and owner and Chief Executive Officer of FS said when they heard about Street Academy and the marvelous work done for the vulnerable in society, they resolved to pay them a visit and offer their support.
“We will continue to provide the needed support so that they can continue imparting lives in their communities,” she added.
Mr Attah Lartey, Executive Director of Street Academy lauded the Group for the visit and donation adding that a friend of the NGO told the Group about Street Academy, which peaked their interest to come down to support them.
He said the NGO was looking forward to maintaining a long lasting partnership with the donors adding, “Since its inception up till now, Street Academy’s sole source of funding had come from the benevolence of donors and partners.”
The Executive Director called on Government, corporate institutions and well to do individuals to come on board to support them give their facility a facelift and advised parents to be responsible with the welfare of their offspring.
Mr Gari Cooper Fia-Kojo Ayivi, host of the Group and Co-founder of African Star Plus said as part of the tour, the visitors would carry out a tree planting exercise over the weekend at Prampram in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s “Green Ghana” Project and also serve as a memorial that indeed, they visited Ghana.
From there, they would visit the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles respectively.
He said the NGO lacked washrooms and water taps that made them to spend money for water supplies and a water tank.
He said the orphanage also needed assistance to expand and relocate the facility outside Accra, preferably the Southern or Northern part of Ghana.
“Over here at Street Academy, children who have never had a feel of formal education are taught to read and write for a period of three years after which they are absorbed into the mainstream educational system.
“One advantage here is that this Orphanage school identifies the talents of the children in areas such as arts and craftsmanship, drumming, boxing, soccer, hockey, amongst others, and grooms them in that area so that when they are finally absorbed into the mainstream education system, they can build on it.” he said.