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The First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, has said the honours and awards bestowed on her will motivate and inspire her to work harder to improve the lives of vulnerable children and women in Ghana.

She said she had been challenged and charged by the awards to do more in her quest to respond to the needs of society.

"I am motivated by the recognition and awards to go and do more for my people and society," she said.

The First Lady was speaking to journalists in an interview in Canada in response to her recent reward by the Fordham University in the United States of America (USA).

The awards
Mrs Mahama's humanitarian and charity works have earned her both international and local recognition. 

Having gained recognition as a respected advocate of women’s empowerment and helping the poor and marginalised, she was honoured with a Doctor of Humane Letters by the Fordham University.

The City of Newark in the State of New Jersey in the USA also honoured her with a citation, a plaque and a key which symbolised unfettered access to the city.

The Canadian government also honoured her with a citation for her charity works in Ghana during the fifth anniversary of the Council of Brong Ahafo Associations of North America.

Last year, she was honoured with a Global Inspiration Leadership Award and inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame at the second Africa-Middle East-Asia Women Summit in Dubai, organised by the Centre for Economic and Leadership Development and the CEO Clubs Network worldwide.

She was also installed the "Sompahemaa" by the Nkoranza Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region for her enormous contribution to the community and Ghana as a whole.

"Incredible feeling"
"Words cannot possibly describe the incredible feeling that I am having right now, looking at all these honours and awards; that great feeling you get knowing that someone appreciates the little things you do in your corner," she stated.

"These are very proud and humbling moments for me and my staff at the Lordina Foundation and I am sincerely grateful  to all for the recognition, both local and international,"  she said.

Her foundation, she said, held the view that “the more we share, the more we have” and that inspired it to work even harder to improve the lives of fellow citizens.

To her, the most significant element of human interaction was what flowed from kindness and so individuals must take advantage of the daily opportunities to show love, empathy and kindness.

"We must make an effort to lend a hand to others, especially those who are less privileged than we. After all, the Holy Book says whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do to me," she added.

Empathy 
She recalled that empathy led her to the Gambaga Witches Camp, a place considered a home to outcasts in Gambaga in the Northern Region of Ghana.

The First Lady said many of the elderly women had been accused and banished by their own people for their failures and misfortune.

The situation, she said, was a classic example of society's ignorance and loss of humanity towards others.

"I feel a sense of my humanity, knowing that from time to time my foundation  provides the women and their children with food, clothing and other humanitarian aid and livelihood support," she stated.

Touching on her commitment towards orphanages,Mrs Mahama said, "Nothing can replace the warmth and care of a parent's love and so we must work to make life worth living for these unfortunate little ones."

"The stare we get from the little innocent eyes is enough reward for all our efforts," she said.

The First Lady, therefore, encouraged individuals to exhibit a high level of humanity as they made life better for themselves each day in education, health, finance, among other areas, because humanity defined each individual.