Gloom and grief had covered the entire compound of Becky’s Foundation at Senya Bereku in the Awutu-Senya-West District as orphans and managers of the orphanage spotting black and red attires either sat or loitered dejectedly in the facility with occasional wailing and sobbing.
Their helper, financial supporter, benefactor and a hero, Christian Atsu, the ace footballer, had fallen suddenly, leaving them in deep mourning and pain.
The inmates had thought their orphan status had changed for good only for the unfortunate earthquake which struck south-eastern Turkey, on Monday February 6, ending the life of their sole benefactor who was doing so much for them.
Mrs. Matilda Adu Poku Administrator of the Foundation described their situation as ‘orphans turned into double orphans’ when the GNA visited the Home on Thursday.
The Manager of the home, Madam Monica Wiredua, told the GNA, Atsu, the backbone of the Foundation, had brought smiles and joy to the faces of the children and his sudden demise had dealt them a heavy blow.
She said the former player had scheduled a visit to the home together with the Black Stars’ Team of Ghana in June 2023, for the commissioning of a classroom blocks he single handedly built from the scratch for the orphanage.
She said the entire home was very saddened by the death of Atsu, because he was the hope and major financier providing foodstuffs, clothing, education and the general upkeep of the children.
Atsu, Madam Wiredua revealed also constructed a mechanized borehole providing water to the home.
Apart from that, she said the former player trained with them on the football pitch, supported Becky’s Football Club, and spent time with the kids at public places such as the Westhills Mall where he shopped for them whenever he was around.
“It has been a pathetic moment for us, the children have been crying inconsolably.
“ They are currently being counselled on why certain things happen in life but the sadness and the feeling of terror in them right now can’t be expressed in words” , she stated.
She told the GNA, they have lost a rare gem, and prayed to God to keep him safe and also send a second Atsu to support the children.
The Director of the Foundation, Mr. Seth Asiedu, recounted his last conversation with Atsu on Saturday, February 4, when he promised to send the last tranche of money to complete the school building.
He said, at the beginning of this academic year, the Foundation withdrew the children from community schools in the area and employed teachers to help them with their studies at home with the hope that the school would be officially commissioned for them to start their own school.
The building with offices, a library, computer laboratory and a pitch is furnished with some desks, and uniforms are also ready for them to admit the children but it was yet to be painted.
“As it stands, with the desks available we are working on providing about four or five writing boards so they can move into the classrooms by next week, although it is yet to be commissioned.”
Mr. Asiedu added that the Foundation heavily depended on the benevolence of the former player and therefore appealed to other benevolent individuals, organizations and colleague players to support them to fulfill the dream of Christian Atsu to help the kids realize their dreams.
