The Jerrylyn Foundation, a nonprofit organisation has supported the Junior Girls Correctional Centre (JGCC) in Osu with bags of water and toiletries.
JGCC was established by government to give character reformation and vocational training to juvenile offenders.
The toiletries ranged from soaps, toilet rolls and sanitary pads among others.
The move formed parts of efforts by the Foundation to contribute towards improving the lives of the vulnerable in the society especially prisoners and children.
Presenting the items, Founder of Jerrylyn Foundation, Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu stated that her outfit deemed it fit to visit the facility because of the low attention it received from the public especially from philanthropists.
She said “this is where juvenile offenders are brought and groomed until they finish their sentences and reintegrated into society. These children also have pressing needs which governemmt alone cannot provide, yet very little is heard about them.
I am a appealing to the public to visit these children as often as possible because they need love and care. Let us not neglect these little ones.”
She bemoaned situations where junenile offenders were tagged as bad children, saying the practice made it impossible for the children to feel accepted in the society.
She also urged the children to adhere to all the rules and regulations governing the shelter and ensure by the time they finish their sentences, they will become better people.
Mrs Ebu further advised parents and guardians who have abandoned their wards in such facilities to ensure they visited the children often to make them feel loved.
In furtherance, she thanked the supporters of the Foundation’s maiden project and urged individuals and corporate organisations to contribute their quota towards the development of the nation.
The manageress of the Centre, Mrs Love-Grace Ahlijah receiving the items on behalf of the children expressed gratitude to Jerrylyn Foundation for the gesture, saying that the items would go a long way in supporting the children.
“We are very grateful for your support, these items will help solve some of our problems. The water especially. May God bless you richly,” she said.
Mrs Ahlijah also cautioned parents against maltreating their children because they are gifts from God.
According to her, most of the children who find themselves in correctional centres are not to blame for their actions.
She explained that if a child grows up in an environment devoid of love, he or she is likely to become rebellious or have certain behavioural challenges.
She therefore stressed the need for guardians to prioritise the welfare of their wards so that they do not become victims of circumstances.
“Money is not all that is needed to show love to children. Let us empathise with these little ones and look after them,” she advised.
In a related development, the Jerrylyn Foundation also supported the medical bills of a child on admission at the Kasoa Polyclinic.
