SOS Children's Villages, Ghana on Friday laid the foundation stone for commencement of work on a third village in Kumasi, at the cost of three million dollars. The Village would consist of 12 family houses, kindergarten, primary school, junior high school and social and health centres.

Mr. Kojo Mattah, National Director, who made these known at the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony at Asokore Mampong in Kumasi said the project would be completed by next year. He told the gathering that SOS which was founded by the late Professor Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 and started in Ghana in 1974 provides homes for abandoned and destitute children.

Mr. Mattah said over 500 children were living at two SOS villages in Tema and Asiakwa whilst thousands more were admitted to the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools.

He said the village when completed would accommodate 120 children to be drawn from Kumasi and its environs. He stressed "In addition, over 400 children would be selected for support under the Family Strengthening Programme." He said GH¢60,000 have been disbursed to caregivers and foster parents at the Villages to enable them to expand their businesses.

Helmut Kutin President of SOS Kinderdorf International (KDI) urged CONSAR Construction Limited and facilitators who would be working on the project to complete it on schedule, to enable the SOS take care of homeless children.

Dr. Mrs. Margaret Nkrumah, SOS KDI Representative in Ghana, urged the people to support the project, saying, they should regard homeless children as their own and contribute to their welfare.

Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyimpemhene in Kumasi, and representative of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, thanked the NGO for seeking the welfare of deprived children in Kumasi and its environs. He said the project was in line with the Asantehene Education Fund, which is sponsoring over 5,000 school children and students nation-wide. Oheneba Poku said "Otumfuo shares your vision and is ready to support you to enable the Ashanti Region become at par with the other regions in terms of education."

Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, chief of Asokore Mampong, appealed to individuals and organizations to support programmes that seek the development of children.

The SOS delegation later paid a courtesy call on Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, Asantehene of the Ashanti Kingdom.