Two organisations sponsor 1600 pupils

This was made known by Madam Sanatu Nantogma, the Programme Leader of Tuma Kavi, at an assembly of children organised by the organisation at Moglaa, a village near Savelugu.

The programme was aimed at giving children the opportunity to discuss issues pertinent to them to enable people in authority and responsible positions to know the issues that affect children and how to address them.

Madam Sanatu said lack of opportunities, care and guidance had created the 'kayaye' menace, which was depriving a lot of young girls access to improved quality of life.

She said the intervention by her organisation and Tuma Kavi through the sponsorship packages and other material support had helped increase enrolment in many parts of the Northern Region.

She mentioned some of the support given to communities as provision of furnished classroom blocks, recreational facilities, exercise books, school bags, as well as sanitation facilities.

The programme leader said efforts by Tuma Kavi also led to the erasing of stigma attached to female farming and many women now owned commercial farms.

Some of the children complained of being used by their parents on their farms rather than allowing them to go to school.

Others expressed their disgust at the lack of support and encouragement by their parents in their education, saying that some parents behaved as if they were doing their children a favour by giving them education for which reason the children must bear part of the cost of their education by engaging in child labour.

The children after the discussions were given the chance to play and interact with one another.

By Marcelinus Dery/Daily Graphic/Ghana