I can say without a shadow of doubt or regret that I have really celebrated the 10th anniversary of this column in style. My joy is full. I intended to celebrate it with some orphanages in the various regions.
My expectations were high – 10 orphanages, one from each region. I actually took the trouble to send sponsorship letters out to as many as 25 prominent companies here in Accra, literally begging and following up on begging for their support.
I also beseeched in all humility, fans of this august paper to support. Little did I know the love they so much professed to have for me was all “cocoa lorv”. Did I get the thought-of support? Twea kai!
Had it not been for the following companies and friends who had mercy on me, to lift me out of the prospective “publicizable” disgrace, my story would have been told differently. Looks to me it’s such a bad time to be a beggar in Ghana. Eigh!!!
In this whole big country, only three companies and 22 friends supported my ‘Orphanage Project’. So please, wherever you meet the following authorities of the companies I am about to list, as well as the kind individuals whose names follow, kindly say a big thank you to them on my behalf.
They made my celebration with two out of the desired 10 orphanages, Village of Hope in Gomoa Fetteh, and Kinder Paradise in Prampram, a reality.
1. Promasidor Gh. Ltd. (Cowbell), North Industrial Area
2. JM Addo & Sons Ltd, Okaishie, Accra
3. Tills Hotel, Gomoa Fetteh
4. Mrs. Donna Barnafo
5. Ms. Mary Hamilton (Mama Rockson)
6. Ms. Charity Selormey
7. Mr. & Mrs. Dampare Addo
8. Ms. Felicia Badoo Sagoe
9. Mrs. Eugenia Dankyi
10. Dr. Yacoba Ateasi
11. Mr. & Mrs. Ansah of Peak Lyceum School, Community 22
12. Ms. Ophelia Danquah
13. Mrs. Marigold Wilberforce
14. Mrs. Abena Boamah Asare (LoSin)
15. Mrs. Synedicta Amponsah Nkrumah
16. Mrs. Joyce Twumasi Adu
17. Ms. Elizabeth Amfo
18. Mrs. Rosebella Mensah-Okantey
19. Mrs. Bukola Atuyota
20. Mrs. Alberta Ampofo
21. Mrs. Rita Osei-Bonsu
22. Mrs. Whitney Boakye-Mensah
23. Dr. Akorfa Segbefia
24. Mrs. Gifty Akomeah
25. Mr. Francis Osei
I was very surprised that not even you, my trusted fan, supported me; not even with your prayers. The above-mentioned companies and individuals furnished me with so many wonderful products, from books, to indoor games, to bags of rice, beans, gari, boxes of key soap, Note 3 and Note 1 exercise books, sugar, clothes, shoes, hoards of fresh bread rolls, large buckets of groundnut paste, medication … oh, I can’t name them all.
At least, you can see a bit of the items in the photographs, can’t you? I was so excited during the celebrations in those two homes, I took so many pictures and in some cases, videos but later on got home only to realise that I hadn’t taken any with the children and their Care Givers.
Oh, I know you were waiting to catch a glimpse of my face through those photos. Too bad. Next time, I will make a conscious effort to let you see my face, okay.
It was such a joy to see the 260 children at the Village of Hope and their care givers gather around me to say thank you to the philanthropists who had blessed them so much. Tears filled my eyes as Mr. Sarkodie, the Director of the Home, lifted his arms up in joy and exclaim in Twi, “Awurade, merengyae wo som da”. This literally translates as “God, I will never stop serving you”.
Apparently schools had reopened and they had need of books, both Note 1 and Note 3 for the pupils. Gari had become a scarce commodity for the children in Senior High School who needed their chop boxes to be filled with gari and anything chance could bless them with.
The story was no different at the Kinder Paradise. Mrs. Silke Rösner, the founder of the Home, simply didn’t know how to thank me. Gathering the children around the items, they all thanked me profusely and showered verbal blessings on me. What made me cry was when a little girl aged 5, Beatrice was her name, walked to me, smiled, said “thank you” and gave me a warm hug.
Both homes have asked me to visit them again and again. But how can I do that when my own fans who claimed to love me so much, denied me support when I needed it most.
Well, I do not want to hinder the blessings of any persons who would like to show kindness to any of these orphanages who depend on you and I for support.
So if the Lord touches your heart to give, please feel free to let me know how and when I can pick up your personalised kindness. After all, we are still friends aren’t we?