The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has donated an assortment of food items worth over US$6,500 to several institutions and disabled groups in the country.
Beneficiaries of 25kg bags of rice, containers of Argo oil, cartons of sardine, among others were the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection; the Group of 77 on Newport Street in central Monrovia; the Christian Association of the Blind on the Robertsfield highway; and the Deaf and Dumb Center in Brewerville, outside Monrovia.
According to authorities of the NLA, the donation of the assorted food items was a way of identifying with the physically challenged to enable them joyously celebrate Liberia’s 170th Independence Anniversary on July 26.
During the distribution, the Group of 77 Disabled Center which is supervised by the wife of Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, Mrs. Katumu Boakai, received 100 bags of 25kg rice; 10 containers of three-gallon vegetable oil; 25 pieces of bath soap; 25 pieces of washing soap; five cartons of seasoning; five packs of tomato paste; and five cartons of sardine.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection received 50 bags of 25kg rice; 10 containers of three-gallon oil; 25 pieces of bath soap; 25 pieces of washing soap; five cartons of seasoning; five packs of tomato paste; and five cartons of sardine.
The other two organizations, Christian Association of the Blind and the Deaf and Dumb centers each received the same quantity of items.
In remarks during the presentation of the items, the Deputy Director-General of the NLA, Agnes M. Effiong, said besides the food aid and other necessities, the NLA is working tirelessly to ensure that opportunities are provided the disabled in the area of capacity building through scholarships.
The beneficiaries thanked the NLA for the donation and said it came at the time when they were striving to generate resources to put smiles on the faces of their colleagues during the Independence Day celebration.