Melcom Gives To ACILA To Support Female Prisoners’ Needs

The Melcom Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Melcom Group of Companies, has donated items to five institutions, including research and education think tank, Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA-USA and ACILA-Ghana). The donation to ACILA was in response to a solicitation for the provision of basic items for female prisoners at the Sekondi Central Prison.

The other institutions that also received support were Ocean Broadcasting, operators of Ocean TV, Kokrokoo Charities, and Greenhills School of Health Sciences, which had submitted a request for support for the Nsawam Male Prison. In addition, Mr. Felix Kwakye, a medical student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) also received support in grocery supplies and a cheque.

Mr. Godwin Avenorgbo, Director of Communications, Melcom Group of Companies said that giving back and helping to provide needs is a core part of the Melcom Care Foundation’s corporate social responsibility.

He explained that the 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 program under the Melcom Care Foundation, a number of organizations and individuals had benefitted.

The items ACILA received included bathing soap, detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, female underwear, and T-shirts. 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.

The Greenhills School of Health Sciences also received items on behalf of the Nsawam Male Prisons. The items included toiletries, assorted drinks and biscuits, bags of rice, and men clothing.

Ocean Broadcasting, operators of Ocean TV, received cooking utensils and home appliances to support the station’s programming on Mother’s Day to celebrate mothers.

The nonprofit of Mr. Kwame Sefa Kayi, “Kokrooko Charities” also received a home theatre brand by LG Electronics. The item was received by Mr. Dennis Adutwum, Programs Director of Kokrooko Charities.

All the recipients expressed appreciation to the Melcom Care Foundation, adding that they will continue to buy from Melcom shops and urged their friends and families to do the same because in addition to Melcom’s unbeatable prices and value for money, Melcom will give back to support needy people and institutions.

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