Monrovia – Students of the Health Science School at Cuttington Graduate School in Monrovia, on Saturday, donated assorted materials to the Antoinette Tubman Cheshire Home in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The philanthropists also committed to pay one-year electricity subscription for the Home.
The Antoinette Tubman Cheshire Home currently caters for the needs of 13 individuals, two of whom are under 20 years while the rest are above 20.
They are victims of birth defects or also known as congenital disorders, which medicinenet.com defines as “structural or functional abnormalities present at birth that cause physical or mental disability”.
Items donated to the Home, included 11 50-kg bags of rice, clothing, disinfectants and a wheel chair among others.
The students, headed by their lecturer, Mr. James Ballah, had earlier paid for power connectivity from the Liberia Electricity Corporation to the Cheshire home, Ballah disclosed.
Presenting the gifts to the Home management, Mr. Ballah, said he and his students discovered that many people living with disabilities are cutoff from mainstream society and they need the support of not just the government but everyone.
“We all need to extend the light of life to people in daring needs,” Mr. Ballah emphasized.
He recognized the students whose efforts and resources blended with external donations to raise a huge consignment as those enrolled into four courses he instructs at the graduate school.
Courses he lectures at the CU Graduate School include Introduction to Public Health, Health Planning and Policy, Program Evaluation and Technical Writing.
Responding, the Home’s administrator said that caregivers are discouraged by the lack of support and better salaries for them.
The administrator disclosed that each caregiver takes home US$25.00,
He used the occasion to plead with the new administration of President-elect George Weah, to consider the plight of people living with disabilities as they are commonly left alone in hideouts and street corners.
As the students were about to leave the Home, another group comprised of local business men arrived with consignment of rice and other supplies for the home.
This put deeper smiles on the faces of the disabled people at the Cheshire home on Saturday.
The Health Science School of Cuttington Graduate School committed themselves to working with more people and communities who suffer health deficiencies and disabilities in the country.
An official of the Liberian Government’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection extended heartfelt thanks to the health science students at Cuttington for their thoughtfulness to address the needs and plight of people living with disabilities.
Ms. Vivian Kenneh commended caregivers for the “heart” to work with people of multiple disabilities.
“Some of these people cannot sit, walk and feed themselves. You caregivers have to be there for them always.
“This is more than a job; it is rather care and love for humanity straightly from the heart of hearts,” Ms. Kenneh told the caregivers.