African Relief in Action (ARIA) International launched in Ghana

History was this November 7, 2012 made in Accra when the African Relief in Action (ARIA) International Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), was officially launched in grand style at the banquet hall of the Coconut Groove Regency Hotel.

ARIA International Ghana, with registration number G-39,502, is the local arm of African Relief in Action (ARIA) International, an American not-for-profit and non-sectarian humanitarian organization based in Houston, Texas whose objective is to provide humanitarian relief assistance to persons who are affected by catastrophes such as inter- and intra-national conflicts, political instability or oppressive regimes, economic crises and other disasters. The organisation's services target people of all social strata but with primary focus on women and children who are regarded as the most vulnerable segment of society.

In his key note address, ARIA International's President Mr. Joseph Sankoh, who was in Ghana for the launch, expressed profound gratitude to God at the launch of the organisation's operations "in a great country like Ghana", praising the Ghanaian head of mission Mrs. Marian Luther King for her hardwork, tenacity and resilience.

Delving into ARIA International's beginnings, Sankoh said the organization originally started in the early 1990's as a relief organization for victims of the horrific Sierra-Leonean civil war of 1991 to 2002. He said the scope of the organization ultimately widened to cover victims of all disasters both in Africa and Africans in the diaspora; and, also, the organization eventually was transplanted to Houston, Texas in the USA where it now has its global headquarters.

"Our focus is primarily children and women who invariably bear the brunt of displacement and dislocation in times of war and disasters ARIA has therefore set up training programmes for poor and deprived people in Africa and elsewhere to ameliorate their conditions and plight," he averred, emphasizing the need for Africans to take their destiny into their own hands by devising relevant and practical means to tackle their own problems head on instead of waiting for other peoples to run to their aid, which may not always happen.

In addition to her Houston-Texas headquarters, ARIA International currently has offices in several other states in America, including Florida and New Jersey. Outside the United States, ARIA International also has operational offices in Australia, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and, now, Ghana.

In her welcome address, the head of mission for Ghana, Mrs. King traced the efforts she and the staff in Ghana have made to ensure the successful birth of ARIA International in Ghana, and thanked the president for fulfilling his promise of being physically present to actively take part in activities leading up to the Ghana country office's inauguration. She pledged to work hard to take the Ghana country office to higher heights.

Currently, ARIA International Ghana is working on a project to relocate over 130 Sierra Leonean refugees stranded at the Budambura Camp in Ghana back to their country, and to re-settle them Sierra Leone.

Enumerating her future plans to include the purchase of mobile van(s) for mobile health services to cater for the health needs of poor communities and refugee in Ghana, Mrs. King said ARIA International Ghana also plans to set up an orphanage home to take care of orphans and abandoned children, as well as provide them with their basic needs, including education. She consequently appealed to donor agencies, organizations, individuals, churches, corporate bodies and philanthropists, among others, to donate towards a worthy cause to help the poor, the needy and the marginalized in society.

"Today, we are often constrained to focus on our personal, individual and, or domestic affairs. At times of recession like now, we tend to think only of our own future. But if we, urban dwellers, are in trouble, what do we think is the lot of our brothers and sisters in our rural communities? Their lot is better imagined. They have to fight for their everyday needs. But they have few resources to struggle against their extreme poverty.

Life is so beautiful. God presents us with this gift of life not to suffer from what we can have as our right. Health care protection is a hot issue in developing countries. On paper, rural dwellers and orphans in Ghana are protected and have primary care. In reality, the situation is quite, quite different. Our mutual efforts, our support are most needed now. Together, we can fulfill our duty of cherishing every human life," Mrs. King urged.

Adding her voice, deputy managing director of Prudential Bank Limited and chairperson of the occasion Mrs. Mary Brown, harped on the need for Africans to take their own destiny into their own hands and stop over-dependency on others. She urged the rich and privileged in society to give freely to the deprived and needy; and, praised ARIA for a good cause it was championing to help mankind.

In appreciation of their hardwork, commitment and contributions to ARIA International Ghana, plaques and certificates were later presented to deserving members of staff by the president.

The event was attended by dignitaries from inside and outside Ghana including Ghana Armed Forces' spokesman Colonel M'Bawine Atintande and star artiste from Switzerland, Ms. Aminata Bamba, who also thrilled the audience with her riveting musical performances.