Haven of Love Children’s Foundation, a non-government Christian organisation, in partnership with other organisations, have presented assorted food and non-food items to Burkinabe refugees at Sapeliga in the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region.
The Christian Service International and the District Office of the Department of Social Welfare and other stakeholders joined the Haven of Love Children’s Foundation to do the donation.
The items presented included bags of maize, soap, detergents, cooking utensils, slightly used clothes and sandals.
Leaderships of the Foundation and the Christian Service International, preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the refugees and encouraged them to stay strong and pray for God’s protection.
The Region, particularly communities in the Bawku West District recorded influx of about 4000 Burkinabés from nearby communities such as Zabre, Bugri and Zoago in Burkina Faso, following suspected terrorist attacks in that country.
Even though some of the Burkinabés who sought asylum in the district had since returned to their home country, about 300 of them were still in camp at Sapeliga.
Mr Samuel Nana Bekai Djirackor, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation who led the team to distribute the items, told the media that the gesture was in imitation of the love of Jesus Christ to less privileged.
“The Bible says if God so loved us, we aught also to love one another. These refugees may be down today, but that is not the end of the world. God is interested in them, He loves them, and would meet them at the point of their needs,” he said.
Mr Djirackor said the Foundation was concerned with the welfare of less privileged children and therefore critical for it to extend the gesture to their parents and noted that “If parents are strong, and in good mental state, they will be able to work and take care of their children.”
He said the Foundation for the past four years, had undertaken several health and social activities including cataract and hernia surgeries, renewal of National Health Insurance Scheme cards for residents within and out its operational area in the Bawku West District.
The CEO said leadership intended to extend its activities to other parts of the Region to benefit the less privileged and appealed to cooperate bodies and organisations to support the Foundation to reach out to other Districts in the Region.
Mr Madi Bukari, Spokesperson for the refugees, said the Chief and people of Sapeliga received them well and ensured they were safe in the community since their arrival.
He acknowledged the several support and relief items they received from Government and Non-Governmental Organizations, and further thanked Haven of Love Children’s Foundation for the show of love to them.
Mr Bukari appealed for support to enable them to engage in farming and other income generating activities to be self-dependent to cater for themselves and not depend solely on donors to survive.
