REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL MOTHERS PROJECT, 2016

PROJECT OVERVIEW

 The Special Mothers Project (SMP) is an advocacy and awareness creating programme on cerebral palsy.

The project seeks to create awareness while advocating favourable policies for families with children who have cerebral palsy.

The project also seeks to coordinate cerebral palsy related activities in Ghana and serve as a counselling point for mothers with children who have cerebral palsy.

The project uses the media to create awareness on Cerebral palsy related activities while drawing the attention of policy makers to issues that need to be addressed.

 The Project was officially given the certificate of incorporation and certificate to commence operations on 31^st March 2016 by Ghana’s Registrar-General’s Department.

 However, SMP started operations around July 2015.

OUR VISION:

 The Special Mothers Project’s vision is to create awareness about cerebral palsy and point families with children who have cerebral palsy to available services in Ghana.

The project also seeks to empower especially mothers with basic handling and management of a child with cerebral palsy.

This is done through training workshops for parents/mothers with the basic physiotherapy skills and encourage parents to share vital information.

The workshops also serve as a skill learning platform for parents and a networking opportunity to meet other mothers/families with children with cerebral palsy.

During our workshop with Multikids Foundation

WORKSHOPS

 This year the Special Mothers Project partnered with two organizations: Sharecare4u and Multikids Foundation to organize workshops for mothers.

Both workshops attracted about 30-35 mothers/parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Multikids Foundation has promised to hold a quarterly workshop for parents.

The first workshop organized in collaboration with shareare4u with support from Diligent Care services and the Accra Physiotherapy Centre was held on 2^nd July 2016 while the second workshop was held in collaboration with Multikids Foundation was held on 1^st October 2016.

WORLD CP DAY CELEBRATION: - The Special Mothers project coordinated with organizations like the CBM/Presbyterian Health Services, Cerebral palsy Ghana and Centre for Employment for Persons with Disability to organize the World CP day on the 5^th of October in Dodowa. It is worth to note that the celebration of World CP day had not been celebrated on a big platform as it was celebrated this year in Ghana. Let me give a special mention to Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection for gracing the occasion

Special Mothers at a meeting in Madina

MEDIA

 The Project had a privilege of going on many media platforms to talk about cerebral palsy, I may not be able to list all of them thoroughly but the few that come to mind include Class FM, Starr FM, Joy FM, GBC radio not to mention the various newspaper and online news articles that were published in line with the project objectives to create awareness on cerebral palsy.

 I cannot talk about the media without mentioning Nana Kodjo Jehu-Appiah, my immediate boss at the Ghana News Agency who made sure that my stories got published through the GNA system. Mrs Beatrice Asamani Savage, my superior in the office who encourages me. (Trust me there were times I felt like giving up) Mr Elvis Darko, Editor of the Finder News Paper, he made sure that he published all stories and news stories I sent to him and gave me front page prominence sometimes, Mr Kent Mensah, Online Editor of Starr FM, Mr Isaac Kaladzi, Producer of the Morning Show Starr FM, he also gave me an opportunity on DW Radio, Mr Ajafor of Modern Ghana, Mr Edmound Smith Asante of the Daily Graphic, Mrs Emelia Ennin Abbey of the Daily Graphic, Madam Salome Donkor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Kojo Yankson, Morning Show host of Joy News, thank you for the follow-up, Nana Ansah Kwao IV, host of PM Express, thank you for the publicity and exposure, Mr Emmanuel Dogbevi of Ghana Business News online, I can go on and on, the media support has been great and I am very grateful.

WAY FORWARD

 The project has adopted a government Special/unit in Madina school for upgrade to enable children with cerebral palsy have access to education.  The School is now used as our project office and meeting place.

The project is planning on engaging two mothers as care givers to support the special education teachers. The project would therefore embark on a fund raising exercise for that purpose.

This will enable mothers in the vicinity to be able to drop off their children with Cerebral palsy in the school and pick them in the evening.

As it is now, many mother with children who have cerebral palsy are forced to abandon career or work and stay home to take care of their children.This puts a lot of financial constraints on such families.

 CHALLENGES

The Project’s major challenge has been dedication from mothers. Many mothers have become apathetic, probably given up on their children with cerebral palsy and are not so sure whether policy change is possible.

 The project started as an online advocacy and communication is done mainly through whatsapp, therefore it is difficult getting information to mothers who are not online or do not use the whatsapp platform.

Practical session during our workshop with sharecare, Ghana

Since the project has been self-financed and had not sought funds anywhere, it makes it a bit difficult organizing regular training programmes or meetings with mothers. The whatsapp platform has become the cheapest option.

Special Mention: Let me give a special mention to Ms Belinda Siggers of the Diligent Care services for supporting our first workshop with cash donation and Mr Kwame Owusu Danquah, Chief of Akan Fekuw in Denmark for their donation towards our activities.