Paynesville City – Straight From the Heart International, the parent organization of Arthur and Zwannah First Autism Classroom in Liberia, has donated food and non-food items to families of children with autism, spectrum disorder or similar disability. The donation is part of effort to support children in such conditions in the wake of the government’s stay home order in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Report by Jaheim T Tumu- [email protected]
The Arthur and Zwannah First Autism Classroom in Liberia was initiated by Straight From the Heart International to advocate and support the welfare of children with autism and to provide them the requisite education that will make them useful in the society.
Oxford dictionary defines autism “as a development disorder of variable severity that is characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive pattern of thought and behavior.”
The vision bearer of the organization, who is also its Executive Director, Madam Agnes Fallah Kamara, who is currently seeking advanced studies in the United States of America, sourced the resources used to acquire the food and non-food items.
The Administrator of the Arthur and Zwannah First Autism Classroon in Liberia Mr. Michael Gebeh provided a background of the institution before disclosing the total package to be distributed to over 20 families in Monrovia and environs.
Gebeh presented 20 bags of 25-kg rice, five boxes of vegetable oil containing four gallons in each box, two boxes of clora, containing 12 in each box and two boxes of powder soap. Other items included 100 pieces of locally-made face masks, and 20 handwashing buckets.
He further said that the organization has been working with over 20 children with autism and similar disorders with a goal of providing them the opportunity to learn different applied behaviors by doing things for themselves.
“We have our own challenges and could not move at the pace we wanted to move. Then came the coronavirus, in the midst of the virus people’s attention have drifted from these children.
“So our parent organization, Straight From The Heart International, launched a fundraiser online, which enabled us to get the money to buy these items so that these children can eat and be protected too, while at home” Gebeh said.
He added, “In some part of the world, these children can come up to be productive, so we know that it is possible in our country these children can be productive once care and support are given them.”
Making the presentation to the parents, a member of the board, Ms. Facia Harris said as an institution, it is their responsibility to provide support for the children because many of the parents leave them to struggle by themselves.
Ms. Harris, who cautioned parents to adhere by the health protocol, hopes their donation serve as a little help while the families go through this pandemic.
Speaking on behalf of the parents, Madam Sowoneh Kennedy said they are grateful to the organization for making their children to feel loved in the society.
“It is not easy to carry these children. You have to have a heart. When there is no heart you will abandon them,” Madam Kennedy said in tears.
