Shoprite at the Accra Mall has donated a cheque of 10,000ghc to OrphanAid Africa an NGO that specializes in rescuing children from orphanages and settle them with their families. The check was received on behalf of Orphan Aid Africa by celebrated reggae musician and radio presenter Blakk Rasta and dancehall artiste Fiifi Selah, both supporters of the cause.

Blakk Rasta said that he was happy that the money was going to be used to resettle children in their villages and communities rather than keeping them in orphanages which are often a cover for child traffickers and abuse. He said the extended family system was a wonderful safely net for Ghanaians children and that orphanages were not necessary in the country. He thanked all the customers of Shoprite who had contributed to the cause.

Research carried out by Orphan Aid Africa since 2006 demonstrates that out of the nearly 5000 children living in orphanages in Ghana today more than 80% have family willing to care for them. Many of the children are detained by orphanages operators against their will, and others have families who cannot care for them because of poverty.

The money was donated over the Christmas season, leading up to the Blakk Rasta and Friends Concert, by Shoprite’s customers, who each gave the amount of one cedi to collection boxes manned by some of the graduates of OrphanAid Africa’s support programmes, who were able to testify to the support received from the charity, which support families to care for children in their own homes.

In a statement the Marketing Manager of Shoprite said that it was part of the companies social corporate responsibility programme to support Ghanaian children in their own homes and communities and that they were happy to partner with the musicians and the NGO to get more children back into their families.

Help keep a child in its natural family by texting ‘LOVE’ to 1961 from your MTN phone.