A boy who had his legs straightened by a health charity ten years ago has been back onboard the ship that transformed his life as it returned to his home country to offer more free life-changing surgeries.

Romino, now 12, was just a toddler when his legs started to bow. His parents saw he was struggling to walk and knew they could not get him the surgery he needed in their home of Madagascar.

He had faint memories of the giant hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, and people that helped him. But he never imagined he would step back on board and neither did his mother, Claudia.

12-year-old boy reunites with hospital ship that transformed his life a decade ago

She said: “I’m so happy, I’m happy because I never thought I was coming back here, I was going to see the ship again, I would be given a tour. I never thought I would be able to see the things I saw back then. I didn’t expect there would be a follow up for him.”

Tilos, as he is fondly called by those close to him, can today walk and run effortlessly on his straight legs after the surgery he received at aged three changed his future.

He said: “I remember when they [Mercy Ships] taught me how to walk again and when they picked us up at our house.”

His mother recalled the first moment she noticed that something was wrong with her son’s legs.

She said: “He didn’t have bowed legs when he was born. But his legs started to change when he was two and a half years old. When he started to walk, then, we really noticed his legs changing gradually, and we wondered if he had bowed legs.”

Claudia continued observing him and noticed his legs becoming more bent as he grew. This worried her, so she sought help from a traditional doctor who recommended leg massages as a cure. Claudia had hardly spent a month following this treatment plan when she heard that international charity Mercy Ships was coming to her country to provide free surgical care for children with conditions like Romino’s.

She said: “The massage didn’t even last a month; we were doing the massage when they [Mercy Ships] came and I decided that I would take him for surgery.”

Soccer fan Tilos, says he wins most running races against his friends today and wants to become a doctor, like those who changed his life. He said it was: “I want to give people the same healing that I received”.

Claudia added: “People are surprised when they see him, because no one believed that he would look like this. They thought he would have the same legs. However, he’s like this now and they even ask, ‘Is it you? Is this Tilos? Is this Tilos?’”

Mercy Ships hospital ship is docked in the port of Toamasina, where Romino went onboard, delivering more than 1,000 new surgeries and training to in country medical professionals in 2024.

This marks Mercy Ships’ fourth field service in Madagascar, following previous visits in 1996, 2015 and 2016. Over the course of previous visits, Mercy Ships collaborated with the government and Ministry of Health to provide more than 6,425 life-changing surgical procedures and over 52,395 dental procedures. In addition to these surgeries, Mercy Ships has a longstanding commitment to education, having trained 2,019 healthcare professionals in the past.

Over 60 employee volunteers from telecommunications giant, Telecel Ghana in partnership with Forestry Commission joined forces with young students from Luom Basic Schools and Ghana International School (GIS) to plant thousands of seedlings to replace lost forest cover at the Chipa Tributary Forest Reserve in Agomeda.

As a way of furthering Telecel Ghana’s commitment to environmental sustainability and in line with the Green Ghana agenda, senior management, and employee volunteers dedicated their day to reforestation for a greener future. 

Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai emphasised the importance of collective action to increase green cover and protect the environment. She said, “As a telco that operates with a purpose, this annual initiative is our contribution to sustaining the environment,” she added, “As part of our ESG strategy, we continue to partner with various stakeholders such as the Forestry Commission to create a sustainable environment for people and animals. This year, our employees, together with the school children are planting over 5000 seedlings to preserve the Chipa Tributary Forest Reserve.”

Read Also: Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Grow Girls in STEM initiative is training a new generation of engineers, scientists, tech enthusiasts, web designers and artists

Gazetted as a reserve in 1968, the Chipa Tributary Forest Reserve in Agomeda in the Greater Accra Region serves as a habitat for animals and conserves the tributary that flows into the Dawhenya Dam. However, forestry officials reported that bushfires and firewood harvesting have destroyed around 50 hectares out of the reserve’s total 2,410 hectares. 

Mrs. Winifred Ohene-Wiafe, Manager for the Tema-Ada Forest District said, “We need more trees to offset the effect of urbanisation which has led to more buildings being put up and the depletion of trees in our cities. Tree planting is a worthy course so I will encourage every individual and institution to partake in reforestation to improve our environment.”

For Michela, a third-year secondary student of GIS, this is her first planting experience, and it has sparked an interest in reforestation. “Tree planting is important as it helps to restore areas that are depleted. It’s been a fun experience planting together with employees of Telecel Ghana and other students to improve air and environment quality. I’m excited that I am being part of making an impact.”

Ernest, a basic nine pupil and member of the Wildlife Club at the Luom Presbyterian School, located in one of the reserves host communities, believes the tree planting exercise will help address climate change. “There’s a saying that when the last tree dies, the last man dies. Joining to plant trees today will help purify the air we breathe and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. I advise other young people to plant trees to reduce global warming and the impact of climate change.”

Board Chairman of Bills Micro-credit Limited, Richard Nii-Armah Quaye, has acknowledged founder of the defunct UT Bank, Captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng.

According to the prolific businessman, Prince Kofi Amoabeng and his UT Financial Services provided him with a loan of GHc7k in the early stages of his establishment.

Delivering his address at the 15th anniversary celebration of Bills Micro-credit, formerly Quick Credit, Richard Nii-Armah Quaye thanked his fellow businessman for lending his company the money.

Read Also: Bills Micro-Credit Limited officially launched

“Captain, thank you so much. I want everyone to know that the first loan our company took was GHc7,000 and it was from UT Financial Services”, he said, attracting applause from the audience.

Bills Micro-credit celebrated its 15th Anniversary on Thursday, May 20, with a plush dinner at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra.

Overall best staff, Charles Sampson, was presented with a brand new Hyundai Tucson vehicle and a cash prize of GHc200k by Bills Board Chairman, Richard Nii-Armah Quaye, for his long service and commitment.

Fourteen other workers of Bills Micro-credit formerly, Quick Credit, were each gifted a brand new Toyota Vitz vehicle while 5 selected workers were specially rewarded with GHc200k cash prize each.

Fifteen dedicated customers of Bills received 55-inch TV set each plus interest-free loans of up to GHc100k for every customer.

Bills Micro-credit has celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a plush dinner at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel on Thursday, May 20.

The excitement at the well-organized dinner heightened when loyal customers and long-serving staff were rewarded with brand new cars, cash prizes and TV sets.

Overall best staff, Charles Sampson, was presented with a brand new Hyundai Tucson vehicle and a cash prize of GHc200k by Bills Board Chairman, Richard Nii-Armah Quaye, for his long service and commitment.

Fourteen other workers of Bills Micro-credit formerly, Quick Credit, were each gifted a brand new Toyota Vitz vehicle while 5 selected workers were specially rewarded with GHc200k cash prize each.

Read Also: Bills Micro-Credit Limited officially launched

Fifteen dedicated customers of Bills received 55-inch TV set each plus interest-free loans of up to GHc100k for every customer.

The night also saw a great array of distinguished personalities in attendance including the Special Guest of Honour; HRM King Tackie Teiko Tsuru ll and National Chief Imam; Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.

Also present at the dinner were Fidelity Bank MD; Julian Opuni, Businessman Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Special Advisor to President of Rwanda; Andrew Mwenda, Minister of State from Liberia; Hon. Reginald Nagbe, Vice Chancellor of UPSA; Prof. Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, GBC Director-General; Professor Amin Alhassan and a host of other guests.

The night was climaxed with thrilling performances by Amakye Dede, KiDi, Joyce Blessing, Nana Asaase, Bernard The Magician and Bethel Revival Choir with words of exaltation from Dr. Lawrence Tetteh.

Elijah FC from Hlevi-Sogakope in the Volta Region is set to light up the Middle league come this July hosted at WAFA. (more…)

In a move to enhance food delivery standards, Bolt Food couriers across Ghana have collectively taken a pledge to uphold the highest standards of safety, hygiene, and food handling. This follows an intensive training in partnership with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to reinforce the importance of these practices in ensuring the delivery of safe and hygienic food to customers.

The pledge taken by the couriers underscores Bolt Food’s unwavering commitment to customer safety and satisfaction. With a focus on maintaining the integrity of food from preparation to delivery, couriers have vowed to adhere to strict protocols designed to protect both themselves and their customers.

The Acting Regulatory and Policy Head for Africa at Bolt, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, said: “Bolt Food as market leaders committed to best practices and standards in food delivery, launched this initiative to  equip couriers on the platform with essential knowledge and tools for excellence in food delivery. It is our collective responsibility as stakeholders in the food service ecosystem to ensure food reaches customers safely and in an hygienic manner. By adhering to these best practices of food delivery, we are not only protecting the public health of Ghanaians but also contributing to the overall well-being of our communities.”

Through this specialized training, couriers gained invaluable insights into food hygiene, safety practices, and proper handling techniques, reinforcing our dedication to the health and safety of the communities we serve.” She added.

The workshop addressed a pressing need in the rapidly expanding online food delivery sector, where maintaining food safety and quality is crucial. Recognizing the rise in online food businesses, the FDA partnered with Bolt Food to enhance food safety measures across the industry.

Chief Regulatory Officer at the FDA, Dr. Edward Archer emphasized the importance for courier operators to understand the impact of food safety measures on their operations.

“The FDA is collaborating with various stakeholders, including courier services, to ensure they receive training in food safety. This training equips them to integrate food safety principles into their work, thereby reducing food safety-related complaints and illnesses,” Dr. Archer stated.

During the workshop, couriers were educated on several key aspects of food safety. The training covered personal hygiene practices, the importance of maintaining appropriate food temperatures during delivery, and protocols for handling food to prevent contamination. Emphasis was placed on ensuring that hot food stays hot and cold food stays cold, with timely delivery being a critical component of the process.