SOS Children’s Villages Ghana has had an inauguration ceremony to unveil the newly constructed social centre that was proudly sponsored by Enterprise Life and Sanlam, South Africa.
The sponsorship amount, which was GHC 485,000.00 forms part of the fulfilment of Enterprise Life and Sanlam-South Africa’s corporate social responsibility to promote quality education and health for vulnerable children in Ghana.
It was also in response to a request by SOS Children’s Villages Ghana to Enterprise Life to support the construction of a well-designed multipurpose social centre for children at SOS Children’s Village Kumasi.
SOS Children’s Villages Ghana is a non-profit social development organisation with strong emphasis on child welfare and works to ensure that underprivileged children are given the appropriate opportunities needed in life to facilitate their growth and development.
SOS Children’s Village Programme in Kumasi is one of four Children’s Villages in Ghana and is located at Asokore Mampong. It provides a loving and supportive family setting under a Family Based Care for 115 children in 12 family houses and 1 youth home.
Enterprise Life is owned by two financial giants – Enterprise Group, which is a leading financial services Group in Ghana with a vision to offer financial security from cradle to grave and Sanlam, a leader in wealth creation and insurance in Africa with presence in 11 African countries, India, Malaysia and niche businesses in certain developed markets.
As compared to other insurance companies in Ghana, Enterprise Life is a relatively young company but through its 15 years of existence has risen to become the leading Life Insurance Company in Ghana.
Apart from an excellent corporate culture and world class products, Enterprise Life is focused on improving the general wellbeing of its clientele and Ghanaian families as a whole and this is evidence in its solid Corporate Social Responsibility Culture driven by its core values of Friendliness, Professionalism, Reliability, Excellence and Trust.
The newly established social centre comes as a relief to the SOS Children’s Village Kumasi in terms of providing a suitable multi-purpose facility with a spacious auditorium among others to host different social activities related to child growth and development and will cater for both SOS children and students of the Hermann Gmeiner School.
It is the first of its kind since the establishment of the SOS Children’s Village Kumasi in 2010 and presents an opportunity for children to freely socialize and participate actively in educational oriented activities such as school concerts, art exhibitions and workshops.
Aside hosting social events in the interest of children, the facility will also serve as a suitable location where Junior High School students of the SOS Hermann Gmeiner School can undergo practical sessions for the Basic Design and Technology (BDT).
The National Director, Alexander Mar Kekula of SOS Children’s Villages Ghana expressed his profound gratitude to the sponsors for their immense support for his organisation over the years.
“This is not the only project Enterprise Life has supported us with, and this is a genuine expression of their determination in partnering us to support vulnerable children to ensure that their education and psychological needs are met in due course” he said.
Mr. Alexander Mar Kekula revealed that aside the social centre, Enterprise Life and Sanlam had also in previous years supported the organisation by donating cash and items in support of the growth and education of the children at the SOS CV Ghana.
“This has gone a long way to put smiles on the faces of these children as they know that someone cares for them”, he said.
Mr Kekula lauded the initiative by Enterprise Life and urged individuals, corporates and other NGOs to partner the SOS Children’s Villages Ghana in working to ensure that vulnerable children are supported to grow in a loving and secured environment, where they can access educational facilities specially designed to encourage their overall mental and psychological development.
On her part the Executive Director of Enterprise Life, Mrs. Jacqueline Benyi expressed satisfaction that Enterprise Life and Sanlam-South Africa have been able to complete the project on schedule.
She said that the “Advantage Hall” as the social centre is named will serve not just the educational needs of the children but will also support their holistic growth as it provides them with other learning and development opportunities beyond the classroom.
The “Advantage Hall” will give to orphaned children what Enterprise Life has always given Ghanaians, an Advantage in Life. An Advantage to a better life, an Advantage to realise their innocent childhood dreams, an Advantage for them to be the best human beings they can be and also for them to provide an Advantage to others.
She re-iterated that Enterprise Life had ventured into many Corporate Social Responsibility partnerships, but however, the company’s partnership with the SOS Foundation was one that brought the company much fulfilment, and one that has a unique place in the hearts and minds of all stakeholders of the business.
“United Nation’s statistics show that currently there are over 1 million orphans in Ghana, and the numbers are increasing daily. The potential of this 1 million, if harnessed well, under well-structured programs like the SOS initiative, can only bode well for the country. Enterprise Life and Sanlam have realised this and can only hope that other companies will follow suit”.
