The Adaklu Torda Community have organized their annual end-of-year an inter-denominational Christian Praise and Thanksgiving Service at their community square to thank God for His unwavering faithfulness, peace and guidance throughout the year 2021.

Held on Sunday 9th January 2022, the thanksgiving service is a gesture of appreciation to God for His love and protection. It is a special Sunday chosen by the community to thank God for His protection throughout the previous year.

It was an expression of palpable joy and gratitude at the village-square with moments of worship, praise and intercessory prayers with performance various church groups.

The head pastor of Assemblies of God Church, Torda Faith Community Chapel, Pastor John Y.A. Mensa, was present to share the word of God and encouraged community members to continue to appreciate the value of preservation of life.

He emphasized the need to thank God for His loving kindness, adding that, “many people have died last year but you are still living to see another year, therefore, the need to appreciate His grace and mercies”.

Speaking at the occasion, Du fia of the Adaklu Torda community Togbe Agumedra Afexe (VII) called for unity among community members, saying it would make them resilient to enable them to achieve their aim as one family.

According to him the day is set aside for the various religious groups to pray for God’s continuous blessing on the community and guidance for the leaders.

He prayed for peaceful coexistence among the community members for effective communal development and progress.

At the occasion, GOSANET Team presented to the Adaklu Torda community the outstanding Water and Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) award won by the community at a just-ended regional P4H closeout event held in Dambai on 23rd November 2021.

The citation signed by the Chief of Party of the P4H project, Siapha Kamara reads “During the implementation of the USAID-funded P4H project (2016-2021), the Adaklu Torda Water and Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) worked with the District Citizens Monitoring Committee, using Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation to promote social accountability in the planning and delivery of health services, especially for vulnerable populations. People for Health’s empowered WSMT supervised the construction of household toilets as well as the proper maintenance and management of facilities to ensure a continues supply of safe water to communities. The results of the WSMT’s selfless volunteerism and commitment demonstrated that overcoming inequalities in the health sector is a mutual responsibility of service providers and the citizenry.

In recognition of the WSMT’s contributions to the attainment of the P4H’s mission to advocate for inequitable health service delivery in the district, the Project Management Team is pleased to Award Adaklu Torda WSMT as the Most Oustanding WSMT – Adaklu District.”

Explaining the rationale behind the award, the Adaklu P4H Focal Person and Executive Director of GOSANET Foundation, Mr. Samuel Yao Atidzah said the community’s Water and Sanitation Management Team has performed beyond expectation and has shown that they acquired knowledge during the implementation of the People for Health (P4H) project by constructing their own mechanized boreholes to end their water challenges.

He said even though the P4H program has ended other programs concerning health will still come. He therefore used the opportunity and asked for collaboration between his outfit and the community so that the P4H program can be sustained.

He, however, bemoaned the lackadaisical attitude of volunteers in the community in carrying out programs geared towards the benefit of the community, adding that, if volunteers refused to assist them subsequent projects will not be implemented in the community.

Togbe Agumedra Afexe (VII), Du fia of Adaklu Torda and Togbe Aklasi (IV), Tu fia, who received the award on behalf of the community lauded the initiative by the P4H consortium, adding that, through the implementation of the project the community has learned a lot, the construction of household latrines and the mechanized boreholes construct by the community is enough testimony that they acquired knowledge from the P4H project.

They assured their commitment to supporting GOSANET Foundation to sustain the P4H project as well as carry out other health-related programs in the community. They also assured the provision of hardworking volunteers to support the activities of the Foundation to carry out health-related activities in the community.