Gloom and grief can best describe the mood at Becky’s Foundation, an orphanage supported by Christian Atsu, at Senya Bereku, in the Awutu-Senya-West District of the Central Region.
The children and their Caregivers/Managers, spotting black and red attires, either sat in groups or loitered dejectedly with occasional wailing and sobbing, because their benefactor and hero, Christian Atsu, the ace footballer had fallen.
The tragic death of Atsu had left the inhabitants in deep pain, who, at a point, thought their orphan “status” had changed for the better, only for the unfortunate to happen.
On Monday, February 6, 2023 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck south-eastern Turkey and Syria, which had so far killed about 47,000 people. Atsu, unfortunately, was one of the casualties.
Mrs Matilda Adu Poku, the Administrator of the Foundation, described the current situation of the home as “orphans turned into double orphans” when the Ghana News Agency visited on Thursday.
The Manager of the home, Madam Monica Wiredua, said Atsu was the backbone of the Foundation and brought smiles to the faces of the children, but his sudden demise had dealt them a heavy blow.
She said Atsu had scheduled to visit them in June, this year, with his Black Stars’ Teammates, for the commissioning of a classroom block he constructed for the orphanage.
“The entire home is sad by the death of Atsu, as he was the hope and major financier, providing foodstuffs, clothing, education and the general upkeep of the children.”
He also constructed a mechanised borehole, trained with the children on the football pitch, supported Becky’s Football Club and spent time with the children at public places like the Westhills Mall, “aside shopping for them”.
“It has been a pathetic moment for us, the children have been crying inconsolably. They are currently being counselled… but the sadness and the fear in them right now can’t be expressed in words,” she said.
Madam Wiredu said the Home had lost a rare gem and prayed to God to keep him safe and also send a “second Atsu” to support the children.
Mr Seth Asiedu, the Director of the Foundation, recounted his last conversation with Atsu on Saturday, February 4, 2023 when he promised to send the final tranche of money to complete the school building.
At the beginning of this academic year, the Foundation withdrew the children from community schools and employed teachers to teach them at the home, with hope of commissioning the school to facilitate their studies.
The new block has offices, library, computer laboratory and a pitch, with uniforms already provided for the children to start school.
“As it stands, with the desks available, we are working on providing about four or five writing boards so they can move into the classrooms by next week, although it is yet to be painted and commissioned.”
Mr Asiedu appealed to other benevolent individuals, organisations and football players to support the home to fulfill the dream of its fallen hero.
GNA
