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Street Children in Ghana’s Kumasi Archdiocese to Get Christmas Treat from Sisters

Sr. Olivia Umoh, DC, Director of Safe-Child Advocacy (SCA), a Humanitarian Organisation owned by the Archdiocese of Kumasi, sharing food to Children with disability and their mothers at a recent party for the vulnerable.

A pre-Christmas treat has been planned for street children in Ghana’s Kumasi Archdiocese, organizers of the 20-22 December initiative have told ACI Africa.

Members of the Daughters of Charity (DC) Sisters of the St. Louise Community in Ghana’s Kumasi Archdiocese are facilitating the initiative through the Safe-Child Advocacy, a humanitarian organization in the Archdiocese that is under the leadership of DC Sisters.

“As Daughters of Charity, we celebrate pre-Christmas and Christmas activities with Children in street situation in line with the charism of our founder St. Vincent de Paul,” the Director of Safe-Child Advocacy, Sr. Olivia Umoh told ACI Africa Correspondent in Ghana Wednesday, December 16.

The initiative, which is set to benefit some 1,000 children amid COVID-19 restrictions continues a tradition that is in line with the charism of DC Sisters, Sr. Umoh said.

“Christmas is a special time for children in street situation in Kumasi. At Safe-Child Advocacy, we make it a tradition to celebrate Christmas with children in street situation. Our children look forward to our Christmas celebrations with its variety shows,” the Sister explained.

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She added, “God’s love made manifest to humanity through the incarnation of Jesus Christ His son. Jesus’ love made no distinction between Jews and Greeks, freed and slave, blacks and whites, children on the streets and children at home”

“All children are special to God and God loves them all. Christmas is a time of giving and sharing and we should all try to share with others around us whatever little we have,” she further said.

Reflecting on the activities scheduled for the Christmas celebration, Sr. Umoh said, “The children are preparing to display a Christmas play during the Carol on the eve of Christmas at the St. Paul’s Parish at Appiadu in Kumasi.”

“As for Christmas dance, it is a ‘must’ as my children will say. The children are even proposing a dance competition,” she added.

On her part, Sr. Catherine Eking, head of the St. Louise Community told ACI Africa, "For us Daughters of Charity, Christmas is one of the moments we stand side by side with the poor. We celebrate Christmas with them to incarnate God's love revealed in the mystery of the incarnation,”

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“We never spend Christmas away from our communities because we need to celebrate with persons in poverty. They are our Lords and Masters in the words of our founders,” Sr. Eking said and added, “We make the choice to serve them and so we do our best to make them truly celebrate Christmas.”

She continued, “Although we celebrate birthdays with our children, Christmas celebration is different. This year, we are planning with our girls how they want to celebrate and the list is a long one, Carols, picnic, cooking, dancing and variety shows.”

St. Louise Community in Kumasi was founded on 17 August 2008 with the apostolate of vocational training and rehabilitation of Street Children, Crèches for children of young street women, ministry to young street workers, pastoral and counselling ministry, home visitation and advocacy.