The Department of Social Welfare says it is in on a mission to cut down on the number of orphanages in the country to 50, by the year 2020.
The Acting Chief Director of Social Welfare, Daniel Nanoh Gbeawu, disclosed this at a forum organised by Ecobank Ghana and UNESCO to mark this year’s Ecobank Day.
The day was marked under the theme: Saving Young Lives and focused on how to effectively reintegrate orphans into families and communities instead of keeping them in orphanages.
READ ALSO: Why General Mosquito’s return doesn’t trouble NPP – Obiri Boahen
According to Daniel Nanoh Gbeawu, in times past, the Social Welfare Department counted about 148 private orphanages in the country, most of which did not meet required standards with the department closing down many of them till the number reduced to 95.
However, a recent count showed the numbers were up to 129 but they are working to cut them down to 50 by 2020, in accordance with UN standards.
“The UN requirements are for orphans to be put up with their close relatives or foster families and not to be in orphanages,” he said.
He noted that even the state-owned orphanages, which house over 1,500 orphans are in extreme distress because some of the orphans have reached the age where they have to vacate the homes but they are still there because there is no money to reintegrate them into society.
Meanwhile, as part of Ecobank Day, the bank spent some US$150,000 to donate computers, internet connectivity, food and several other items to many orphanages across the country.
READ ALSO: Manso Nkwanta killings: 21 police officers to be interdicted
They are also using the Ecobank Mobile App to raise funds to help reintegrate orphans into society rather than keeping them in orphanages, where they are cut off from society and are often not given the tender loving care they require.
Morgan Asiedu is Executive Director, Legal at Ecobank Ghana and he explained that the bank chose to support orphanages which actually spend resources given to them on the children.
He said the money is benefitting several of such orphanages across the country, but ultimately, the plan is to help get orphans out of the orphanages into mainstream society.
Morgan Asiedu, therefore, called on corporate Ghana, philanthropists and individuals to donate through the Ecobank Mobile App so that the money could be used to embark on that project on a more sustainable money.
So far, the account holding the funds has seen some GHC15,000 plus donated for the purpose.
READ ALSO: NPP, NDC’s electoral processes breed corruption – Majority Leader
One of the beneficiary orphanages that helps to reintegrate orphans into society is Chances from Children Orphanage at Hebron, near Medie.
They got 20 new computers, one-year internet connectivity and several food items, toiletries, medicines and more.
Director at Chances for Children, Daniel Awuley Nartey told Adom News they have so far reintegrated over 50 orphans into society through families and they continue to care for them.
Chances for Children houses over 150 orphans, while they also have a drop off centre at Abossey Okai where about 75 other orphans are being helped psychologically and medically.
