Orphaned children at a home in Grand Bassa County were delighted by the array of gifts they received from United States Air Force officer Amy Grant.

The gifts for the children of God’s Heritage Orphanage in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, included toys books, schools supplies, candy, soap, tooth paste and tooth brushes. The items were donated by the people of the US but the donation would not have been possible without the hard work of Maj. Grant.

Her support for the orphanage began in November last year when she was first assigned to UNMIL Force Headquarters in Monrovia as a Staff Officer. It was then that she learned about the plight of the orphans from the Chief of Civilian Military Activities, Lt.-Col. James Mosser, who was concerned that the orphans at God’s Heritage were about to lose their mainstay of support from the Ghanaian Battalion which had been a principal provider of resources to the orphanage over many years. That support ended in December 2012 when the Ghanaian battalion was reassigned from Grand Bassa to Lofa County in accordance with UNMIL’s transition plan.

To plug the gap created by their departure, Grant partnered with Rebecca Wang of Lompoc California who was already mobilizing women in her community in the US to donate resources for children in Africa.   Wang collected and sent the gift items to Grant. “Wang simply used me to identify and reach children who have greatest needs,” Grant said.  She said Wang mobilized the humanitarian gesture out of her love for children and a desire to share her blessings with others.

Grant says additional gift items donated by school children in Altoona, Pennsylvania, will in future be presented to other Liberian communities in need.

Grant, who has a background in the teaching profession, said:  “I understand the importance of education in developing young girls and boys for successful future. I think every child including those living in orphanages should have access to education.”

The UNMIL Staff Officer hopes the presentation of school materials to the orphanage will serve as encouragement to other children to go to school and work hard for better life. Grant was accompanied by Danietta Whitfield, UNMIL Head of Field Office in Buchanan, during the presentation of materials to the orphanage.