The Kay Morris Foundation: A Voice of the Voiceless

30 June 2011 No Comments

By Karen Welcome

Maya Angelou once said “courage can give a voice to those who are voiceless” and courage has done just that for Kay Morris and the lives that she has touched.

Kay Morris wears many hats: queen, church minister, motivational speaker, musical artist, fashion designer, as well as many others, but her most important hat is that of a humanitarian. Kay Morris started her foundation to become “the voice of the voiceless” in November 2003 and since then has touched lives worldwide with a focus on HIV/AIDS, malaria, poverty and maternal mortality afflicting persons in Ghana as well as other countries within Africa and the Caribbean.

Morris’ humanitarian work stems from her musical journey. As an internationally-acclaimed reggae gospel artist, Kay Morris traveled throughout Africa and was determined to make a difference upon witnessing the plight and obstacles people were facing.

The Kay Morris Foundation (KMF) was registered as a non-profit, non-governmental organization in Ghana carrrying out annual missions donating medicines and medical supplies as well as insecticide treated malaria nets to communities in Africa. In 2004 KMF partnered with Health Partner’s International of Canada and together they support the Ghana AIDS Commission, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Liberian Refugee Camp, Korle Bu Hospital-HIV Fever’s Unit.

The work of KMF has also spanned to donate thousands of educational and athletic materials to elementary schools and high schools in Ghana as well as living necessities for children residing within the Human Service Trust Orphanage in Cape Coast and the Village of Hope Orphanage in Central Region.

In 2006, the foundation garnered a $1.5 million donation of anti-retroviral HIV/AIDS drugs for the Ghana Ministry of Health and Morris was crowned Queen Nana Sika I of the Royal House of Berekuso, Ghana. An award for her humanitarian efforts.

Morris visited her native country Jamaica the following year to offer support to the United Nations (UNAIDS & UNDP) through KMF and made a donation to the Father Ho Lung AIDS Hospice. She also teamed up with reggae artist Luciano creating the single When You Cry in support of her humanitarian projects/initiatives.

And in 2008, she paid a visit to Barbados during “Child Month” where she presented the Barbados Child Care Board with a donation of clothing and toiletries for children residing in orphanages. That same year Morris received special acknowledgement for her humanitarian work at the Millenium Development Goal Awards by way of invitation from the United Nations and was invited by the Aburi King to celebrate his 20-year reign as part of the festivities honouring great kings and queens in Africa.

The Kay Morris Foundation has no plans of slowing down this year. This summer they will be apart of the Change Africa Summit in Kenya and the African Youth and Governance Conference in Ghana. They are also looking forward to the groundbreaking of their Maternal Health Centre in Ghana this August as apart of Kay Morris’ “Women Shed No More Tears” campaign.

She is strong-willed in her efforts to reduce cases of maternal mortality and increase accessibility of health care for women. ‘Per Ghana Health Service stats: From 2008 – 953 women have died during pregnancy, while giving birth to a child, and from lack of follow-up care…Per UN, it occurs 900 times every day.’ (www.kaymorrisfoundation.com). She deems this epidemic as one of the “great shames of our time.”

Those interested in getting involved can make a donation or volunteer at www.kaymorrisfoundation.com. As the Kay Morris Foundation continues to be the “voice of the voiceless” people world wide will be watching Kay Morris’ influential steps and listening for her visionary sound.