Peggy Bagonluri
Peggy Bagonluri, the current Miss Ghana-Russia, has launched the Anthony Bagons Memorial Charity Foundation, which is aimed at ensuring that children are taken off the streets so they can attend school and not engage in hawking.
“Street children are lovely blossoms just dropped from the tree after a heavy storm. Now they need to be put together with a needle and threads of security and shelter to live into a beautiful circle of life’s garland,” she quoted Munia Khan during the launch.
Addressing the gathering at the launch which doubled as a fundraiser at the BBnZ Live event centre last Saturday, she explained that the name of the foundation is a tribute to the memory of her late father, who she said she and her siblings looked up to for survival.
She announced plans to put up a shelter for street children and the needy in future.
Expressing concern over the menace of streetism in the country, the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children & Social Protectionm, Freda Prempeh, said it is another form of child labour mostly in the urban areas.
A five-year national plan of action, she explained, has been activated to eventually eliminate child labour by 10 per cent in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Madam Prempeh and Peggy called on all stakeholders to join hands to fully implement the goal of eradicating streetism in the country.
Present at the event as guest speakers were Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, and Cathy Morton, co-owner of Millennium Marathon, Ghana.
The launch was graced with some captivating performances from TV3’s Talented Kids’ winner, Nakeeyat, Mastakraft, Nii Muzick, among others.