Mr. William Nyarko (left) displaying some of the items received from Ms. Sonya Sadhwani (middle)
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Melcom Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Melcom Group of Companies, has donated items to support a solicitation launched by research and education think tank, Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) for the provision of basic items for female prisoners in the Sekondi Central Prison.
The items included bathing soap, detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, female underwear, and T-shirts. Melcom is a leading retailer in Ghana with over 34 retail shops across Ghana.
[ads1]Receiving the items from Ms. Sonya Sadhwani, Director of Brand Management at the Melcom Group of Companies in Accra, on Wednesday, May 10, Mr. William Nyarko, ACILA executive Director, expressed appreciation to the Melcom Care Foundation.
He emphasized that the donation will go a long way to augment the efforts of state and non-state actors to provide the basic needs of female inmates at the Sekondi Female Prison, adding that although all inmates in Ghana’s prisons need such basic items, ACILA was starting with one prison at a time and that it plans to elicit public support to extend the program to all male and female prisons in Ghana.
Mr. Nyarko said that helping to provide some of the basic needs of inmates is just one aspect of its programming to, among other things, support the work of state and non-state actors to contribute to improving the criminal justice system, noting that planned projects include providing legal aid to the indigent, and deploying skills training to inmates who are about to complete their sentences to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into society to prevent recidivism.
Explaining the process of soliciting for and delivering the items to the inmates, Mr. Nyarko said that the solicitation of support will continue until the end of May and then ACILA will schedule a time with the leadership of the Sekondi Central Prison and present the items to the female inmates.
He said that other organizations and individuals have been making donations in support of the cause and urged many more to emulate the example of the Melcom Care Foundation and individuals who have donated.
Mr. Godwin Avenorgbor, Director of Communications of the Melcom Group of Companies, explained that the Melcom Care Foundation takes proactive steps to identify areas of need and also accepts applications for support from individuals and organizations, adding that since the inception of the giving back program under the Melcom Care Foundation, a number of organizations and individuals had benefitted.
Recipients of items from Melcom Care Foundation in a group picture
The Melcom Care Foundation also presented items to the Nsawam male Prison, Ocean Broadcasting, Kokrokoo Charities, and provided support to a medical student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
(L-R) Mr. William Nyarko, ACILA, Ms. Maame Oforiwa Gyasi-Adonten, ACILA, and Mr. Godwin Avenorgbor, Melcom