GIHOCF - Africa tours BoshBosh in West Point, Liberia

Giving Hope To Children Foundation - Africa on Saturday, 16th July 2016, toured officials from a US-NGO, in the slum community of West Point. BoshBosh Inc, which is situated in Salala, Bong County, was established by a former Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, Charlene Espinoza, to educate, empower and inspire women and girls through vocational and technical skills.

BoshBosh Inc had previously requested the Founder and Head of GIHOCF-Africa, 2015 Children's Peace Prize winner Abraham M. Keita, to speak to girls in Salala, who are beneficiaries of BoshBosh programs and projects. Keita obliged and this has since started a working relationship and partnership between GIHOCF and BoshBosh. Thus, Keita is expected to speak in Salala on October 11, 2016 during the commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child.

GIHOCF - Africa remains committed to the plights of children and working to ensure that their lives can be transformed across the African continent.

*See pictures of the tour in West Point below
  (It was really wonderful and amazing)

  

GIHCOF- Africa identifies with Orphans

Giving Hope To Children Foundation - Africa today identified with children (orphans) at the Rock of Divine Orphanage Home in the Samuel K. Doe (SKD) Community, Paynesville - Liberia. 

Presenting a bag of rice, 20 pairs of shoes, two cartoons of cane soft drinks and other assorted materials to the Orphanage Home, GIHOCF - Africa founder and head, Abraham M. Keita, said that this was GIHOCF's way of identifying with orphans during these tough times in Liberia, when poverty is seen on the faces of the people including children. 

"GIHOCF - Africa will continue to assist children, by giving them hope and dignity".

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GIHOCF Celebrates Day of the African Child 2015 with children of West Point

As part of the continental celebration of the 2015 Day of the African Child under the theme "25 years after the adoption of the African Children's Charter: Accelerating our collective efforts to end Child Marriage in Africa", Giving Hope To Children Foundation-Africa celebrated the day with scores of children in West Point, Liberia's largest slum. 

This was GIHOCF's way of identifying with West Point children and putting smiles on their faces. Among these children were orphans, children with disabilities and street children, who expressed their joy for such an exciting day. GIHOCF distributed food items, fliers with child rights messages and many other materials.

Speaking to the children on behalf of the GIHOCF's team was its Founder, Abraham M. Keita VI, who cautioned children to raise their voices against child marriage. Keita also said that parents should not marry out their children (girls) at early ages for little or nothing. He pleaded with community leaders to stop child marriage in their communities by taking measures to deter parents from doing it.

GIHOCF hosts New Year Children's Party in West Point

It is not so often for children to gather in the name of Party and also to interact with great personalities such as a Minister. Yesterday became a scene of joy when the Children of West Point had the opportunity to see the Minister of Education and a mentor George Kronnisanyon Werner, mentorVandalark Patricks - Head of SURE Liberia, my own big brother and a mentor Robert David G of ME1C2/LILFOC Foundation, big brother Amos Sawboh of ORPHAN CONCERN Liberia, and many other local government officials including the Commissioner of the Township of West Point - Sampson Nyan, who through their powerful remarks inspired me and the children who came for the party. .

GIVING HOPE TO CHILDREN FOUNDATION, established by Amb Abraham M. Keita, held its New Year Children's Party yesterday, January 1, 2016, in West Point to put smiles on the faces of children. The party, which brought together a little over 350 children from every aspect of West Point, was intended to stop children from leaving the community to go outside in search of another party just to have themselves entertained. The Minister of Education of the Republic of Liberia served as our Special Guest to motivate and inspire the children. We also had inspirational remarks from other invited guests as mentioned earlier, including the Head of the West Point Women Health and Development Association - Madam Nellie Cooper and Mr. Archealous Nagbe - the West Point Child Welfare Committee chairman.

Special thanks to my mother Hon Munah E Pelham-Youngblood for the level of support and commitment she gave to ensure that the party be successful. You have always been there since I was growing up and providing guidance for me and the Foundation. I love you so so much.

The NY Children's Party would not have been possible if these hard working members of GIHOC Foundation, Ousman Logic Kallay, Aloysius Shagi Wesseh, Mohammed B. Kromah and Sekou M. Keita, had not worked so hard and in time. Their energy and resources used in getting the children to the party will never go unrecognized. God will richly bless you all.

Thank you Minister George Kronnisanyon Werner, Robert David G & entourage, and Amos Sawboh for leaving other activities just to be with the children in West Point. You are all my mentors. Above all, you are passionate. To our Minister of Education, you continue to prove to me and the GIHOC Foundation family that you are humble and will always be there to stand with us in changing the situations of children in Liberia.

Many thanks to my own biological mother, step - mothers, aunties and their friends for preparing the foods and drinks.

To the children of West Point and Liberia at large, GIHOC Foundation loves you and cares about your well - being. GIHOCF was founded for children, and by children.

As member of the KidsRights Youngsters and a winner of the International Children's Peace Prize, I will remain in the vanguard for protection of the rights of children and to change their conditions globally. Not forgetting about Cindy de Visser, Laura Lasance, Ellen Vroonhof and the KidsRights Foundation based in the Netherlands for the support and mentorship they continue to provide me.

GIHOCF Founder and Head wins International Children's Peace Prize

Abraham M. Keita from Liberia wins International Children’s Peace Prize 2015

09 November 2015

Seventeen-year old Abraham M. Keita from Liberia is the 2015 winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize. Today, he was presented with the prestigious award for demanding justice for children who are victims of physical or sexual violence, and for successfully campaigning for the Liberian parliament to adopt the Children’s Law. 

In the presence of the world press Keita received the Prize from Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee who in 2011 was the first Liberian to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in Liberia’s peace-building process. Gbowee said: “It is a great honour to award the Prize. It is very special and inspiring that Keita, already at such a young age, demands that perpetrators and would be perpetrators be held accountable. I recognise in him a true changemaker: fighting to end the extreme violence against children!”

In September, Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu, patron of KidsRights and the International Children’s Peace Prize, announced the nomination of Keita together with Aziza Rahim Zada from Afghanistan and Jeanesha Bou from Puerto Rico. Keita was nominated by SURE Liberia. Keita’s tireless work as a campaigner, bringing attention to crimes against children and campaigning until the perpetrators are locked away, stood out and convinced the jury. Keita also played a leading role in the Liberian Children’s Parliament where he successfully lobbied the Liberian Parliament to adopt the Children’s Law to protect children’s rights.

The KidsRights Youngsters, the group of winners of the International Children’s Peace Prize, which includes Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai, congratulated Keita wholeheartedly:“We are happy to welcome Abraham to the Youngsters. Together we will continue the fight to improve children’s rights and advocate for an immediate end to violence against children.”

Upon receiving the Prize today, Keita confirmed that their work will continue: “Together with my peers I have successfully lobbied for children’s rights laws, but they now need to be put into practice. Children worldwide are still exposed to violence and injustice while thugs often go unpunished. I want people across the globe to acknowledge that this is unacceptable and that every world citizen, whether young or old, can be an agent of change.”

The International Children’s Peace Prize is an initiative of KidsRights, the foundation committed to defending children’s rights worldwide. The award ceremony is held annually in The Hague, the Netherlands, the international city of peace and justice.

KidsRights Report 2015 – The Silent Majority: Justice for child victims of violence
To celebrate the 11th Anniversary of the International Children’s Peace Prize, the KidsRights Foundation in association with Leiden University Law School has published the report The Silent Majority: Justice for child victims of violence. The comprehensive report focuses on the rights of children as victims of violence, and how justice can be achieved to offer these children opportunities to recover and reintegrate into society, and to prevent violence against children in the future. The report can be found here.