June 7, 2004 – (Ghanaian Chronicle - Accra) The Voices of African Mothers (VAM), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) aimed at promoting conflict prevention and bringing women together to initiate dialogue on peace building was inaugurated in Accra at the weekend.

The founder, Nana Fosu Randall, a Ghanaian woman working with the United Nation (UN) headquarters in New York, said the objective of the organisation was to create an Internet space dedicated to preventing conflicts and supporting peace efforts through non-violent methods in Africa.

VAM also seeks to be an instrument of education and advocacy on behalf of women and children in Africa, she said.

Nana Fosu noted that violent civil conflicts that had engulfed parts of the continent, always left in their wake widespread destruction of social and economics infrastructures with a greater impact on women and children, hence the formation of VAM to ameliorate the trend.

She called on African mothers to say no to violence, crime, conflict, war and separatism.

Mrs Monica Westin, a pioneer of the organisation from the US, said the African continent was yet to reach the millennium goals due to wars, HIV/AIDS, tribalism, religious fighting and lack of portable water.

She said Ghana, as one of the few stable countries in Africa, has maintained the culture of peace "and it must remain just that for the sake of the children because they are the future leaders."

Mrs Westin said VAM would embark on a campaign to provide culture of peace in Africa.

Reverend Ama Afo Blay, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), said wherever there was war, women were the sufferers and called on women in Ghana to pray for their children in schools to become useful citizens in future to enable them avoid immoral activities.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070984.html