As part of efforts to mark Sickle Cell awareness day, Vodafone Ghana Foundation in collaboration with Gibeleen and Sandra Foundation (GNS Foundation), and the Forestry Commission have planted over 150 tree seedlings at the Vodafone WI-FI Park, Accra Zoo to remember ‘sickle cell fallen heroes.

The event forms part of the Foundation’s ‘Birthday Stars which seeks to execute monthly projects tied to employees’ birthday celebrants to mark selected international days, in line with the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. This month’s event focused on World Sickle Cell Day; a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness on sickle cell on 19th June.

Speaking at the event, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Rev. Amaris Perbi, noted that the activity is also aimed at supporting the Green Ghana agenda to regain Ghana’s forest cover.

“As we mark Sickle Cell Awareness Day with education on Sickle Cell, we are also marking this day with a tree planting exercise to mark the fallen heroes and also support the Green Ghana agenda to protect Ghana’s environment. Vodafone Ghana and Vodafone Ghana Foundation is committed to planting 4,000 tree seedlings as part of our support to the President’s call to regain Ghana’s depleted forest cover”.

“Again, with the Vodafone WI-FI Park that we are constructing, we seek to make this place a digital botanical garden where people can come in here and browse. They will have free internet and they will be able to access various histories, backgrounds and studies that they will have to be doing across various research as well. Vodafone Ghana is committed to enhancing digital education through its developmental projects”, he added.
For her part, Executive Directors of the Gibeleen and Sandra Foundation (GNS Foundation), Sandy Amponsah Ayivor bemoaned the low awareness on sickle cell disease.

“There are even times you talk about sickle cell and people don’t even know what the disease is, because the awareness is low and our numbers are actually not going down. But, we at the GNS Foundation want to make an impact everywhere we are. We are still championing our course but like I always say we throw it out to the general public”.

She added “We can’t fight this alone so we need all hands-on deck to increase more awareness. I am glad that we are driving this together with Vodafone Ghana Foundation today to let people know more of the Sickle Cell disease and also remember people who have died because of the disease. Together, we can create more awareness and make this country a better place”.

The event hosted the Board Chair of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Stella Agyenim Boateng, songstress Vera Homenoo-Kpeda known in showbiz as MzVee and Nana Gyasi of Kejetia and Makola fame. MzVee commended the initiative, noting that she has acquired so much knowledge on Sickle Cell and Tree planting.