The office of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) responsible for HIV/AIDS on behalf of the United Nations Logistics based in Bandisi, Italy, has donated a consignment of assorted items to the Liberia Orphans of AIDS Foundation (LOAF), a group catering to orphans and vulnerable children and care-givers in the country.

Items donated included cloths, toys, shoes and traveling bags.

Presenting the items to the Executive Directress of LOAF at the offices of the organization on Camp Johnson Road, Mr. Musumali Shindano, who is the Officer-In-Charge of the HIV/AIDS Policy Advisor at UNMIL, said earlier this year, that the Monrovia office of UNMIL was contacted by the United Nations Logistics based in Italy, informing them on how they carry out a yearly program aimed at donating to deserving organizations that are located in different parts of the world.

Mr. Shindano said the UN Italian Logistics office wondered whether the UNMIL's HIV/AIDS office knew any group in Liberia catering to orphans and vulnerable children whose parents are carriers and have died from it or those of them who are carriers of the disease themselves.

He said it was predicated upon this backdrop that his office forwarded the name of LOAF, thus qualifying the organization to benefit from the gesture.

Receiving the items on behalf of her organization, the Executive Directress of LOAF, Mrs. Lela Samuels, congratulated the UNMIL family and the UN logistic based in Italy for the donation.

She assured the donors that the items will be delivered to the targeted beneficiaries and urged others to donate to the work of LOAF.

LOAF was founded on October 9, 2001 with the focus of providing medical care, nutrition, education, home based counseling among others to orphans and vulnerable children of HIV/AIDS across the country.

In a related development , LOAF has been awarded the red ribbon price for its excellent work in the past. The group was announced as the winner of the award last year during the International World AIDS Confab held in Canada. LOAF's Executive Directress, Mrs. Lela Samuels last year December 1, during a celebration marking World AIDS DAY received the award from UNDP Resident Representative in Liberia. The award which goes with a cash price of US$5,000 was announced among several other organizations.