The West African state of Ghana is giving its widow’s mite to the United States following the Hurricane Katrina disaster — a gift of cocoa drinks and chocolate.
Ghana, the poor West African country that is the world’s second largest producer of cocoa, said it was donating $100 000 of cocoa drinks and chocolates to the Katrina victims.
”By this modest donation, Ghana registers her solidarity with the people of the US as they struggle to deal with the tragedy,” said the foreign ministry in Accra.
President John Agyekum Kufuor, who has met President George Bush a few times, said in a statement that he had noted with deep shock the devastation of catastrophic proportions that had affected the lives, property and infrastructure in the stricken areas.
The term widow’s mite comes from a New Testament reference to a comment by Jesus that a poor widow who donates only ”two mites” — or coins – has given a small offering that is large in the eyes of God.
The outpouring of aid for the US disaster victims has included commitments of $5 000 to $100 000 from such struggling countries as Afghanistan, Armenia, Bahamas, Cyprus, Djibouti, Georgia, Hungary, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
About $1-billion has been forthcoming from abroad to the world’s wealthiest country, which has staggered under the shock of finding homes and food for an estimated one million people displaced by the storm and subsequent flood waters,
particularly in New Orleans. – Sapa-DPA