Kakata — The leadership of the Liberia National Students' Union (LINSU) has shown support for orphans in rural Liberia by donating food and non-food items to the Peter W. Sayklon Orphanage in commemoration of this year's Day of the African Child.
The Day of the African Child (DAC) was established in 1991 by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to honor the student uprising that took place on June 16, 1976, in Soweto, South Africa.
Annually celebrated on June 16, the Day aims to remember the Soweto children's uprising of 1976 when thousands of South African students protested against the apartheid government's use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in Bantu schools.
Speaking at the Peter W. Sayklon Orphanage located on the Bong-Mines Road in Kakata during the Day of the African Child celebration, the President of the Liberia National Students' Union, Mohammed Gandhi Kamara, expressed LINSU's commitment to supporting orphans as their way of commemorating the day alongside underprivileged children.
Kamara, who had been moved by the living conditions of the underprivileged and orphans during his initial visit to the site, decided to return to make a donation, influenced by his previous visit in 2020 during the outbreak of Covid-19 in Liberia.
During the donation event on Friday at the Peter W. Sayklon Orphanage, the LINSU President took the opportunity to address over 100 orphans and caregivers, emphasizing the significance of the day and encouraging them to remain hopeful as there is still hope in life.
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He stated, "I can assure you that whatever blessings we receive from God, we at LINSU, under my leadership, will prioritize your needs as the primary beneficiaries of our regular donations to those in need."
Reverend Martha T. W. Sayklon, the founder/administrator, expressed her appreciation on behalf of the young orphans for receiving the donated items and commended LINSU for selecting their institution to benefit from the donation in observance of the 2023 Day of the African Child.
"I want to thank the Liberia National Students' Union for their assistance to the less fortunate, especially during this time as we approach the elections, and young people are seeking means to support their families," Mrs. Sayklon remarked.
She also expressed her hope to receive additional donations and funding to extend assistance to the children throughout the orphanage.
In closing, she pledged to distribute the donated items among the orphans to enhance their well-being and appearance.
