ANOTHER ORPHANAGE perceived to be
the largest in the whole of the Northern Region has emerged in Savelugu with a
total number of 145 orphans.
The children including 112
boys and 33 girls between the ages of one (1) and twelve (12) years were
brought together by one Ibrahim Mohammed, a native of the area based in Saudi
Arabia following the molestation, torture, starvation and maltreatment that was
being given to the orphans by their respective guardians after the death of
their parents.
All the Children have lost both
parents and were depending on relatives, who sometimes cared very little about
what they eat, what they wear and even where they sleep- talk less of seeding
them to school.
But Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed also a
Philanthropist in somewhere 2007 mobilized resources of his own to buy a land
and put up some structures to serve as a Home for the kids. He has since
engaged some caretakers and teachers who offer free tuition to the children.
The facilities at the Home according
our information was put up for only 33 children but the home is now receiving
more orphans, which seems to worsen the condition at the home. Apart from the
congestion in the dormitory and classrooms, all the facilities are
deteriorating.
Unfortunately, nobody ever heard of
the existence of the Savelugu Children’s Home until one Madam Olivia Yakubu,
the Northern Regional Women’s Organiser of the ruling National Democratic
Congress (NDC) visited the inmates through the instrumentality of one Tamale
based reporter, Mohammed Gbindrigbum of the Ghanaian Observer newspaper.
Madam Olivia Yakubu who was so
touched by the plights of the kids, could not but to organize a mini-party for
the orphans at her own expenses. The Plights of the over 145 orphans at the
Savelugu Orphanage seem largely horrendous and require urgent attention from
well wishes and compassionate individuals.
The Supervisor of the Savelugu
Children’s Home, Nantogmah Abdulai told Madam Olivia Yakubu and the media that
the children were being given free tuition, accommodation, feeding, uniforms
and healthcare by Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed until 2009 when the Ghana Education
Service (GES) decided to absorb the Home.
Things, according to him, had not
been any better for the children and their caretakers. He said that several
orphans who are undergoing traumas in the hands of their relatives had been
identified, but could not be admitted into the Home due to lack of space.
Mr. Abdulai hinted that he had
personally appealed to the Savelugu District Assembly to come to the aid of the
Home or even register them on the National Health Insurance Scheme but to no
avail.
He therefore called on the Assembly
and for that matter the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to
establish poultry and crop farms on their remaining virgin land as a
sustainable source of income to run the Home.
One of the inmates, Ms Mohammed
Farana 12 years told Savannahnews her dream is to become a
Journalist to enable her speak better English and also serve as the voice for
the less privileged in society.
According to her, before she was
brought to the Home she was staying with her Auntie, who consistently tortured
her and made her to sleep in the kitchen close to where some sheep and goats were
being kept. “This made me to fall sick and my auntie and her husband refused to
send me to the hospital. Later somebody told Mr. Ibrahim about me and he came
to take me to hospital. When I was discharged, he asked me whether I want to go
back to the house but I told him no and he led me to my auntie and told her he
was going to take care of me henceforth and that is why I find myself here”.
Little Farana believed that the only
way she could save other young vulnerable persons from similar situation.
However, Madam Olivia Yakubu
appealed to other individuals to come to the aid of the kids and also assured
them of using her position to lobby for more support for the children.
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