The Crime Check Foundation (CCF) has offered to adopt Becky’s Foundation, an orphanage supported by former Black Stars player Christian Atsu, who died in a devastating earthquake in Turkey.
Atsu was the main benefactor of Becky’s Foundation, which is located in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region and houses 61 children with ages ranging from 4 to 21 years.
On Monday, February 6, 2023, a twin earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, trapping the Ghanaian player beneath the debris.
During a visit to the orphanage to make a donation, CCF Executive Director, Alhaji Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, assured the children of the Crime Check Foundation’s continuous support to maintain the legacy of Atsu.
“Christian Atsu worked closely with us. We know he was taking care of you until his demise. Because of that, we want to step in his shoes and continue the support he was giving you,” he said.
Alhaji Ibrahim made a significant contribution of GH₵ 7,000.00 in food and toiletries, as well as GH₵ 5,000.00 in cash, to the management of the orphanage.
The donation was part of a series of events marking the posthumous birthday of his wife, Amina Oppong Kwarteng, who died of breast cancer in Turkey on June 18, 2022, sparking a widespread aggressive breast cancer campaign in Ghana.
The campaign resulted in the establishment of the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation, which will continue to raise public awareness of cancer throughout the year, targeting people of all ages, particularly those in second cycle institutions.
Mr. Seth Aseidu, Director of Becky’s Foundation, explained that the orphanage has been operating for a decade and began as a support centre for truant students before expanding to provide shelter to many orphaned and abandoned children.
“This did not begin as a foundation; it was something my wife and I did to support truant students in our school,” he explained. “We discovered that many of the children were not attending school, particularly on market days, and that others did not have parental care, so we decided to assist them.”
“Later, we decided to add children from broken homes, single parents because our research revealed that some were being trafficked to Volta Region to fish,” he continued.
He said that because of their hard work and the support of their teachers and leading sponsors like Christian Atsu, “one of our children is pursuing nursing at the university, 11 others are in various forms in senior high school, and one is in a catering school.”
Before his untimely death, Christian Atsu donated a 9-unit school block to the foundation. The nine-unit block houses a preschool, a nursery, primary 1–6, an ICT lab, and a washroom.
Mr. Aseidu indicated that it was left with some finishing work, such as fixing louvers, painting, the ceiling, wiring, and some furniture, and added, “Unfortunately, our main sponsor died in the February earthquake that struck Turkey.”
“It’s difficult to transport food, stationery, or even sick children from here to town; we rely on motorbikes and tricycles,” he explained. “We’re praying to God for another ‘angel’ like Atsu.”
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim told the GNA in an interview that, in addition to adopting Becky’s Foundation, the Crime Check Foundation would establish an annual lecture series in honour of Christian Atsu.