FIRST Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo
THE FIRST Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, through her Foundation – Rebecca Foundation – has donated sets of sandals and shoes to pupils in primary and junior high schools in the Brong Ahafo Region.
As a result, pupils of Barhamiya Islamic School at Penkwasi in the Sunyani Municipality – one of the beneficiary schools – expressed joy yesterday when the shoes and sandals were presented to them.
Women’s organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the region, Ama Amponsah, and the Sunyani East Chairman, Musah Dantah, together donated the shoes and sandals to the school on behalf of the First Lady.
Presenting the items, Musah Dantah said the Rebecca Foundation aims at helping women and children in need, especially those with health problems.
“The black shoes and sandals should encourage you to remain in class; don’t use worn-out shoes and dresses as an excuse to absent yourself from school,” he stressed.
He said each school from the 29 constituencies in the region has benefitted from 30 pieces of the shoes and sandals. He directed that they should be given to those who don’t have some or have worn-out shoes or sandals. He advised the pupils to study hard, pass their exams to become useful citizens in future so that they can contribute their quota to national development.
The Sunyani Municipal Director of Education, Theresa Kyere-Boateng, thanked the First Lady and her Foundation for the gesture, saying “it is going to boost the confidence of students to remain in school”.
She acknowledged that the needs of pupils were many and government alone could not do it hence she appreciated the effort of Rebecca Foundation in terms of helping needy pupils in that direction.
The Headmaster of the school, Omar Fuseini, thanked the First Lady for the items and entreated the students to offer Islamic prayers for her and the Foundation. He wished her good health and long life to enable her continue with the good work.
Besides, he used the occasion to present 30 pieces of Quran donated by another philanthropist from Dubai to the school and said both donations were going to strengthen the physical and spiritual needs of the pupils.
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani