tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80768274941509205742024-03-13T13:38:46.377-07:00Ghana's Special Mothers ProjectHannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-25680048376770272572024-02-14T09:46:00.000-08:002024-02-19T07:43:54.429-08:00Staff of Fidelity Bank interacts with Special Needs Mothers to celebrate Valentines day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvm7vxXTmnVy_V3sSZWiTdsgcuWCrN5lqvQNOx7YjH5-J6BfOPMc7w6tqVvXymlo9wM5gDThJLxjEBVf04dK_WKDnGD5omMSUCuXIN2wpjkEnhEFk0q2L8ymbPjewe1ICHtiOQyzWYSPZvkdvRGDxHn1jxMVrE2HpbdcL_0fZm_emsf6xav1t6g3sUxs/s1080/Fidelity%20Vals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvm7vxXTmnVy_V3sSZWiTdsgcuWCrN5lqvQNOx7YjH5-J6BfOPMc7w6tqVvXymlo9wM5gDThJLxjEBVf04dK_WKDnGD5omMSUCuXIN2wpjkEnhEFk0q2L8ymbPjewe1ICHtiOQyzWYSPZvkdvRGDxHn1jxMVrE2HpbdcL_0fZm_emsf6xav1t6g3sUxs/s320/Fidelity%20Vals.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Fidelity Bank, Accra East Sector, spent the morning of 14th February, 2024 Interacting with Mothers of children with disabilities <p></p><p><br /></p><p>The Mothers drawn from various disability groups shared their lived experiences with the staff of the Bank urging them to be involved in advocacy for support systems for them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project, who chaired the event, while commending the Bank for the initiative, urged them to open their doors to learn about issues that affected children with disabilities. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRneZyIs_Go_7dWy6AIAsryl68aovo62T_MHuSmEaacAQlnV9JylauaxpQaUPaqDGLswtLFpU0Jav8pM80enIIcvKKXfSGvMHlXw3wOo5cJWTMqTsuHqq4iNWLc3rEMjc7rsOOj5-mpyd36rDw3VErbvIZOgxdvKFAh8f5MAyfLKreqlS1WBrNoZ1vPQ/s1080/Yours%20Truly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRneZyIs_Go_7dWy6AIAsryl68aovo62T_MHuSmEaacAQlnV9JylauaxpQaUPaqDGLswtLFpU0Jav8pM80enIIcvKKXfSGvMHlXw3wOo5cJWTMqTsuHqq4iNWLc3rEMjc7rsOOj5-mpyd36rDw3VErbvIZOgxdvKFAh8f5MAyfLKreqlS1WBrNoZ1vPQ/s320/Yours%20Truly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>"Children with Disabilities are diverse, there are children with Cerebral palsy, Autism, Down syndrome, tourette syndrome among others who are all diverse and affected by similar but also unique issues, she said.</p><p><br /></p><p>Some of the Special Needs Mothers called on the bank and other corporate organisations to look into creating support systems for families. </p><p><br /></p><p>Support systems include having day care centres for children with disabilities as well as advocating for policies that will enhance the lives of families of children with disabilities.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ms Lila Daisy Hagan, Branch Manager at the Ridge Towers branch of Fidelity Bank, said as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, they wanted to pay attention to Mothers of children with disabilities since they are mostly neglected in the conversation around children with disabilities. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHywIO4plNOg-JuIzZj4uPhhAJxlOosp9mbWj2l26OZ0f0S5Un8uAzDyMYMzkf1dzaimR_wZ_VLxBq3SUo1l0Bg0PtWLsxTvDUoKaRzh55efZtOz1IxuorX3F-AxITp2viV_4tVklxQ8u85WgI6s8pFGVf_V1LwfirREMFhHuLdPm6ouJsO112OAd1V0/s1080/Fidelity%20Vals%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHywIO4plNOg-JuIzZj4uPhhAJxlOosp9mbWj2l26OZ0f0S5Un8uAzDyMYMzkf1dzaimR_wZ_VLxBq3SUo1l0Bg0PtWLsxTvDUoKaRzh55efZtOz1IxuorX3F-AxITp2viV_4tVklxQ8u85WgI6s8pFGVf_V1LwfirREMFhHuLdPm6ouJsO112OAd1V0/s320/Fidelity%20Vals%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The staff of Fidelity Bank served the Mothers a variety of dishes in addition to giving them parcels </p><p><br /></p><p>The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) that coordinated the event also expressed their appreciation to Fidelity Bank and called on other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture</p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-10427979317081941192024-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:002024-02-08T09:24:55.084-08:00Introduce Measures to support families of persons with disabilities – Disability Manifesto<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguibtKiT76HcZ6gIdXV5RpO7EsekWYaTgSjmszw6OT9Z8pV9DYjPACqBCgzoGPB11r2AR4op0LyfSJI_esZh0YxmkB7SMC5xVPuIej6nym0fNBpsS4zKX6gGWvA_y-SSVwVJbcU4-e_npIsi6xdIC-GlTTFWkyTF6O0JsAHxRiiSG7c20pI5yetyNUmlM/s1152/Disability%20Votes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1152" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguibtKiT76HcZ6gIdXV5RpO7EsekWYaTgSjmszw6OT9Z8pV9DYjPACqBCgzoGPB11r2AR4op0LyfSJI_esZh0YxmkB7SMC5xVPuIej6nym0fNBpsS4zKX6gGWvA_y-SSVwVJbcU4-e_npIsi6xdIC-GlTTFWkyTF6O0JsAHxRiiSG7c20pI5yetyNUmlM/s320/Disability%20Votes.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations
(GFD) has called on political parties to introduce measures to support families
of persons with disabilities in their various manifestoes.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">The GFD specifically called on political parties
and policy makers to support those who act as informal carers, to support and
empower them to manage their caring responsibilities, to remain active in
employment, to maintain good health, and to have a life outside of caring. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">Such measures, the GFD said, should also
seek to prevent situations where family members with caring responsibilities
are disadvantaged or discriminated against.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">The Advocacy Committee of the Ghana
Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD) has spearheaded the development of
a Disability Manifesto for the 2024 elections. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mr Auberon Jeleel Odoom, Chairman of the
Manifesto Committee told the Special Mothers Project, <i>an advocacy and Awareness creation programme on Cerebral Palsy issues</i> that the manifesto will serve as
a roadmap to guide policymakers and political leaders in formulating inclusive
policies and implementing effective measures to ensure the full participation
and empowerment of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Ghanaian society.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">The manifesto also advocates for the
establishment of comprehensive social protection programmes that provide
financial support, healthcare, and other essential services to persons with
disabilities, families affected by disability, and caregivers of persons with
disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">Mr Odoom said over the years, political parties
have often not involved organizations of persons with disabilities in the
development of their manifestoes, which mostly resulted in limited
consideration for disability issues in their manifestoes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">“With the 2024 elections approaching,
political parties must give due attention to the concerns and aspirations of
this marginalized segment of society.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The GFD's Disability Manifesto represents a collective
effort to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Ghana
and to chart a path toward greater inclusion and empowerment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Manifesto was arrived at through a nationwide
process of consultation within the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations
and its members, as well as its regional branches. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Manifesto represents a collective effort to address
the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Ghana and to chart a path
toward greater inclusion and empowerment, Mr Odoom Said.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><b>The Special Mothers Project is an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues and issues affecting families of children with cerebral palsy. Share your issues with us</b></i></span></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-21194883983578201662024-01-02T04:14:00.000-08:002024-01-02T04:25:15.828-08:00My child must die before me<p> Four months into
marriage, Yaayaa (not the real name) realized she was pregnant, her joy knew no
bounds as she had always wanted to experience being a mom.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa worked in one of the prestigious banks in Ghana and
she had her plan drawn out, how she was going to juggle being a mom and being a
career woman.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She was also progressing steadily in her job which gave her
a lot of satisfaction. Nine months came so quickly and soon it was time for
baby to come.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Everything went as expected with the childbirth, it was a
baby boy, but somehow the baby didn’t cry after birth. It looked like something
was wrong, but the medics could not point out exactly what was wrong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The baby was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit
(NICU) of the hospital, while in NICU the baby even developed neonatal
jaundice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After about two weeks, Yaayaa and her baby were discharged
from the hospital. In Yaayaa’s mind everything was alright.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Baby seemed to be growing well and it was all joy, soon it
was time for Yaayaa to resume official work and she happily did, but her work
was no longer going to be the same.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was one challenge after the other, almost every week
ended with her at the hospital with the baby, after a lot of hospital visits
and not being sure what was particularly wrong with the child, doctors told
her, her child may be having cerebral palsy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Cerebral Palsy<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects the
movement and sometimes the speech of a growing child. It is caused by an injury
to a child developing brain, this injury could happen either during pregnancy,
during childbirth or shortly after birth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cerebral palsy is the number cause of physical disability in
childhood, and it has no cure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Looking for Solution<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa did not know how to take the news of her child’s
diagnosis, it was time to look for a solution, she told herself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The months that followed her child’s diagnosis was uncertain
or unstable, she found herself either consulting a herbalist, a pastor, a
fetish or one medical doctor or another. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It also became a life of hopping from one pastor to another
seeking solutions to her child’s challenge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At work, Yaayaa was always full of excuses, she always came
in with one excuse or the other her child was constantly sick, and she needed
help.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After about four years into her child’s diagnosis, she
decided to resign from her official work and concentrate fully on taking care
of her son.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Her son was growing but there was no improvement in his
condition, at age seven, Yaayaa’s son could still not sit, crawl, or do
anything independently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa had been taking her child for physical therapy
sessions as doctors recommended and yet there seemed to be no improvement at
all.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Complicated Challenges<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But that was not the end of Yaayaa’s problems, her husband
also started developing some strange attitude, her once lovely husband will now
stay so late at work, wasn’t supporting her at home at all and worse of all
stopped providing for the home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Before Yaayaa could understand what was happening to her
husband, she got to know that her husband now had a mistress and had even had a
child with his mistress.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa became a single mother to her son with cerebral palsy
because her husband eventually left her. She resorted to all kinds of jobs to
make ends meet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maintaining her son who was growing in age but not growing
in skills was very expensive. At age 14, her son was still using diapers since
he couldn’t achieve toilet training. Yaayaa had to be there to feed her son,
attend to his toilet needs, bathe him and do just anything thing for him. Her
son could not achieve any independent living skills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes, she would leave her son alone in the room and go
and sell or go and wash peoples clothing to enable her to earn an income.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa told the media that she did all kinds of jobs
sometimes neglecting her son to be able to survive for one more day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Parents Support Group<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When her son was 19 years old, someone introduced her to a
parents support group, the Special Mothers Project. There she met other
parents; they shared ideas and experiences as well as offered physical support
to one another.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project apart from engaging in advocacy
on issues affecting children with cerebral palsy and their families also
connect parents with the limited but available support systems in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was during one of the regular discussions on their
WhatsApp platform that Yaayaa shared her story with her 19-year-old son.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The other parents on the platform touched by her story
decided to contribute money to support one of their own. The platform realized
quite a substantial amount of money for Yaayaa and helped her set up a grocery
shop to enable her to earn some steady income and have time to take care of her
son.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A year went by and Yaayaa was doing so well with her shop,
she reported back to the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Support Systems<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She told the media that even though she is in a much better
place and can support her son, there are no formalized support systems in Ghana
to support persons like her or families of children with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“There is no place, I can take my now 20-year-old son for
recreation or even rehabilitation, I couldn’t even take him to a formal school
because Public schools and facilities that take care of the needs of children
and adults with cerebral palsy do not exist in Ghana.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa said “I am in a better place than I use to be, I am
happier, my son is happier but there is one thing I wish and pray for:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>My child must die before me</b>.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“If I die who will take care of my son, who? She asked,
there are no facilities, there are no institutions with trained caregivers on
how to manage a person with moderate to severe cerebral palsy in Ghana,” she
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Usually, the burden of care is on the family especially the
mother, sometimes even family members shun taking care of persons with moderate
to severe cerebral palsy, that is why we need the government to put in place,
programmes and policies that would facilitate the care of children with
cerebral palsy outside of the nuclear family.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yaayaa called on the government to pay attention especially
to the needs of children or persons with cerebral palsy and their families in
Ghana, since they have been excluded for so long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>PS: Even though it is a true story, the names and
situation in this article have been changed to protect the identity of the
people involved</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-31867512679996398822023-12-28T00:18:00.000-08:002023-12-28T00:38:36.877-08:00Klicks Africa Foundation supports aged Special Needs Mom with GHS 100,000<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TwGVdPPAoOzuz_Xryhr0-QUOJzvU_aSAypZm6VnDl6GOYWR1V6Pm9pfLe755QFpaguXKKJdv5dyLNPqPPlsOnvsSrviBQ9xyOiO3y9NNWF8PH0B_cF88IEKIoy4arNLVQf9SluaR1dopMKiJ70RQD2pQ8C4_e1LtLBkMJpM6ztNrKMBCVODtSGTmVm4/s1024/aged%20mama.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TwGVdPPAoOzuz_Xryhr0-QUOJzvU_aSAypZm6VnDl6GOYWR1V6Pm9pfLe755QFpaguXKKJdv5dyLNPqPPlsOnvsSrviBQ9xyOiO3y9NNWF8PH0B_cF88IEKIoy4arNLVQf9SluaR1dopMKiJ70RQD2pQ8C4_e1LtLBkMJpM6ztNrKMBCVODtSGTmVm4/s320/aged%20mama.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Klicks Africa Foundation, an organisation that supports teens
and youth on the Autism Spectrum has donated GHS100,000 to Madam Mary Yawo Grunitzky,
a 75-year-old Special needs mother.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Madam Mary Grunitzky, a widow and a single mother, has a 44-year-old
son with cerebral palsy and has engaged in all kinds of jobs in addition to solely
taking care of his son to be able to survive daily.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Mary Amoah Kuffuor, Founder and Executive Director of Klicks
Africa Foundation who made the presentation to Madam Grunitzky said she was
tagged on Facebook by the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy programme for
families of children with cerebral palsy with Madam Grunitzky's story.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskN1JVHMJO9O05pc0wt9uLNKyiSMIodZKfREOqAcOgQNl_edzE4r8G_l__Mo96vGkc6SXBC86FCJYeoU7oHmGsBiMnx1A9Fuxaw94U7HiNEFdiEUii9ceWosIZPxL18ZOF6GKZB9sMYWxK7HnhhVVOJ8uDNW55PLtS7YSv2RJalYmodnPjWrKbjJA0RM/s1024/aged%20mama%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskN1JVHMJO9O05pc0wt9uLNKyiSMIodZKfREOqAcOgQNl_edzE4r8G_l__Mo96vGkc6SXBC86FCJYeoU7oHmGsBiMnx1A9Fuxaw94U7HiNEFdiEUii9ceWosIZPxL18ZOF6GKZB9sMYWxK7HnhhVVOJ8uDNW55PLtS7YSv2RJalYmodnPjWrKbjJA0RM/s320/aged%20mama%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said was touched by the plight of the aged woman knowing
how difficult it is to nurture a child with disability and thus decided to
raise funds to support the woman.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“The woman is old and needs support, she cannot do much to
support herself,” she told the Special Mothers Project.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Kuffuor expressed her profound gratitude to her Facebook
followers for believing in her and supporting her to support the aged special needs,
Mom.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Madam Grunitzky who was visibly surprised by the donation,
could only utter “God bless all who donated to me abundantly.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Agbeko Awadzi, co-founder of the Special Mothers Project,
also expressing gratitude to the donors, said Madam Grunitzky reached out to
the Special Mothers Project calling for help.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“The Special Mothers Project took to social media to share
the story of Madam Grunitzky and the results has been positive.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He expressed special thanks to Mrs Kuffuor for taking the
issue up.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>The Special Mothers Project is an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues and issues affecting families of children with disabilities.</b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-22457837527888763822023-12-16T04:51:00.000-08:002023-12-16T04:51:35.075-08:00Special Mother Project Report 2023: SMP becomes a GFD affiliate<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnaxQ0RLhgqWllrO8SvYTSwwu1Vlzw4Xg5A-zdKmxdusXxR3tMtdx278bWwzeFT16_RxsjMo9m3dhhSmBbiJI7RkrQAelgBhi_BTdR4ol3PkRKDdlEhkCZwLuokZAgTOAoXEUOtVFHIIJg8HkMghUVumfH7Laf5oDc1JNw4lYf2bMwwpWisy0_fZsZwQ/s1080/GFD%20affiiate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnaxQ0RLhgqWllrO8SvYTSwwu1Vlzw4Xg5A-zdKmxdusXxR3tMtdx278bWwzeFT16_RxsjMo9m3dhhSmBbiJI7RkrQAelgBhi_BTdR4ol3PkRKDdlEhkCZwLuokZAgTOAoXEUOtVFHIIJg8HkMghUVumfH7Laf5oDc1JNw4lYf2bMwwpWisy0_fZsZwQ/s320/GFD%20affiiate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness
creation programme on cerebral palsy issues and issues affecting families
raising children with disabilities became an affiliate of the Ghana Federation
of Disability Organisations (GFD) in the year 2023.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being a member and an affiliate of the GFD gives us a bigger
platform for our advocacy and to table our issues especially issues affecting Mothers
of children with disabilities to a bigger audience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) is an
umbrella organisation to eight different disability group, and it gives us the
opportunity to learn about the challenges of the other disability group and
build our capacity in disability advocacy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project therefore participated in the
programmes and trainings of the GFD, some of our members participated in a
training on Disability rights, the Convention of the Rights of Persons wit
Disability and also the celebration and observance of this year’s International
Disability Day celebrations.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytZJytu2M82597w0t4UtjGIIg4Hk8WbpCS7uML-HETksGB4WUvr1qvvvP_B6S5z7n_x15BH1gDdt_z6uqpZ3MC6G2Ua9qM73r0jl1lvjtI3CjHgfH2Y5NfBjWvss2Kp1bk9qy4d90MxbdqoVJv9Dt9oO8gtM4Lz8ATWut5i81zvIkcl2caRaQJh2hjT8/s1280/Meeting%20with%20Speaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1280" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytZJytu2M82597w0t4UtjGIIg4Hk8WbpCS7uML-HETksGB4WUvr1qvvvP_B6S5z7n_x15BH1gDdt_z6uqpZ3MC6G2Ua9qM73r0jl1lvjtI3CjHgfH2Y5NfBjWvss2Kp1bk9qy4d90MxbdqoVJv9Dt9oO8gtM4Lz8ATWut5i81zvIkcl2caRaQJh2hjT8/s320/Meeting%20with%20Speaker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being a member of the GFD also opened a window of opportunity
for the Special Mothers Project to feed into National policies being reviewed.
Some of the policies include the Inclusive Education Policy, the Affirmative
Action Bill and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy (ECCD)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project has been a member of the
Technical Committee reviewing Ghana’s Disability Law (Act 715).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Training</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some Members of the Special Mothers Project were recruited
by the Centre for Learning and Childhood Disabilities (CLCD) to be part of a
pilot project call the Peer Health Navigators Programme. Under the programmes
the selected parents were trained to become peer health navigators for their
colleague parents of children with disabilities<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX1DZjuuDdG1newonS0Z11qfQlEcvTAVuYhFXyZBuVrMX7m1f5RvJqj3Qe9JvbOTJD3X0M6LmwmEcboXSMIpK_6Wfbtxf7mVPcVSM1VUOIEnJhEUoQC00Wd_dTOEC3yVCbJO2jo4dWfrRASjbsxXGsqaACjv3gTRGkXp9oTxOez_6NHw-7bGvgKTJ94w/s1040/DATSS%20Training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX1DZjuuDdG1newonS0Z11qfQlEcvTAVuYhFXyZBuVrMX7m1f5RvJqj3Qe9JvbOTJD3X0M6LmwmEcboXSMIpK_6Wfbtxf7mVPcVSM1VUOIEnJhEUoQC00Wd_dTOEC3yVCbJO2jo4dWfrRASjbsxXGsqaACjv3gTRGkXp9oTxOez_6NHw-7bGvgKTJ94w/s320/DATSS%20Training.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some Members also benefitted from a training organised by Disability
Awareness Teachers Support Service (DATSS) where parents some of whom own training
facilities were trained on how to handle their children and what kinds of
educational programmes they can have for their children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Members also participated in a series of GFD training programmes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers
Project also trained some parents of children with disabilities at the Adentan
Municipality. The training empowered the parents to become effective advocates
for their children and to push for inclusion.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSl5jULjYuWf95_SaHG9RbyFfkxHbaOCxjqwr_z74nfwpKsGYecbObYUc2sv-IPsU3U0Tcis7bvtXUr1S95jBXOFV7ds4NCYdNa020IgGZBcp9ugPNGDyADbQ4FWx4CQ_b_wCKfUZP740LnutVzPUkzvuE0j_o2xkleFnRuQBcOVkwSagQKo3C4vQh7ws/s1040/Training%20at%20Adentan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSl5jULjYuWf95_SaHG9RbyFfkxHbaOCxjqwr_z74nfwpKsGYecbObYUc2sv-IPsU3U0Tcis7bvtXUr1S95jBXOFV7ds4NCYdNa020IgGZBcp9ugPNGDyADbQ4FWx4CQ_b_wCKfUZP740LnutVzPUkzvuE0j_o2xkleFnRuQBcOVkwSagQKo3C4vQh7ws/s320/Training%20at%20Adentan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some parents also participated in a training organised
jointly by the Special Mothers Project and Psychotherapist Ms Colleen Chifamba on
how to handle children with disabilities. That training also built the emotional
capacities of parents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project with the support of Dr Eunice
Abbey gave a presentation of at the Disability in Education Conference
organised by the University of Ghana, School of Education and Leadership.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Presentation was titled: In the name of Ubuntu: The
Special Mothers Project, Changing the lives of Mothers and their children<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with Disabilities in Ghana<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Donations</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The WhatsApp platform of the Special Mothers Project organised
a fund raiser led by Special Mother Ellen Berko, for the project at the beginning
of the year. The funder raiser realized an amount of GHS2600 to support our advocacy
work.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Project also donated reusable diapers and reuseable
sanitary pads to some parents and some students of the Madina Demonstration School.
The Reusable diapers were donated to the Special Mothers Project by Noah Mapalo
help Centre, a nonprofit voluntary organisation in the UK.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A number of philanthropists also donated some monies to
support individual families of children with disabilities across the country. One
of the beneficiary families received a brand-new deep freezer to enable her
sell iced blocks, ice cream and water to support herself and her daughter<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw1r9IcFN1k3WtDPIx1oz2zOmleYJMBJJEAyrOvXNRBN2sO3foDOZ9FIyJfJNy53MjA1we4EYXRwMiYEXOdwgAMryHB7p7CozpiwhrQN-iby-qU8I5OSDmN_9_6FoY8N-Xsic5P3Zfuo5uTNFXYTX1TumcckpX0aPXp2cStH8fuBZOcoKHezAMFe5yG4/s1040/Donation%20of%20Freezer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw1r9IcFN1k3WtDPIx1oz2zOmleYJMBJJEAyrOvXNRBN2sO3foDOZ9FIyJfJNy53MjA1we4EYXRwMiYEXOdwgAMryHB7p7CozpiwhrQN-iby-qU8I5OSDmN_9_6FoY8N-Xsic5P3Zfuo5uTNFXYTX1TumcckpX0aPXp2cStH8fuBZOcoKHezAMFe5yG4/s320/Donation%20of%20Freezer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all about six families in various parts of Ghana
benefitted from seed monies to start a business (Micro enterprise)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project supported some parents with monies to buy
medication, food or diapers <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Media </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project does advocacy mainly using the
media, both mainstream media and social media. The project published a number
of articles, shared many post of social media to create awareness on cerebral
palsy and the situation of children with disabilities in Ghana in general.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project also featured in a documentary
on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation titled: The Great Commission by Mrs Beatrice
Senadju Boateng.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Partnership with the Rotary Club</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project partnered with the Rotarian
President of Accra-Teshie Nungua on a project dubbed: “Okamafo”<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaUXpUGfX870BkaEsUMRkFmSGzhnayuQp2kyUsdiEDQxG2rIdUbXwwHlARU6JENgdxiSS96TchVtFGYKfjURkeC9NvWnCKCIglUW2nbY_nTY9mt4kuI23Z-goTPEpRz5MAWEeeIV86n8JRhq8-HteWTYmwK9l_5hrq8QHSV8tBMOK-XNc7glTRshA4RU/s981/Rotary%20Okamafo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="981" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaUXpUGfX870BkaEsUMRkFmSGzhnayuQp2kyUsdiEDQxG2rIdUbXwwHlARU6JENgdxiSS96TchVtFGYKfjURkeC9NvWnCKCIglUW2nbY_nTY9mt4kuI23Z-goTPEpRz5MAWEeeIV86n8JRhq8-HteWTYmwK9l_5hrq8QHSV8tBMOK-XNc7glTRshA4RU/s320/Rotary%20Okamafo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Under the Okamafo Project, the Rotary Club of Teshie Nungua and
the Donor Community Forum of the Rotary Club is embarking on a fund raising
drive in support of children with cerebral palsy and persons with mental health
conditions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project provided free consultancy for
the project.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Caregiver Institute</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Caregiver Institute is a programme by the Special
Mothers Project started about three years ago to recruit and train young people
interested in working as caregivers at the family level for children with
disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We haven’t had much success with regards to this particular
programme but we will continue to advocate for it .<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Counselling</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project provides counselling to parents
of children with Cerebral palsy and also parents of children with other
disabilities. Mrs Hannah Awadzi, a registered Psychologist Assistant with the
Ghana Psychological Council discussed mostly with parents to the pathway for
their children and how parents can empower themselves emotionally for the Special
Needs Parenting Journey<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Way Forward</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 2024, The Special Mothers Project will be recruiting new
board members, some members on our board are moving on and they would be
replaced with new board members.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We will continue to maintain our website <a href="http://www.specialmothers.org/">www.specialmothers.org</a> and our blog as
well as intensify the media advocacy both in mainstream media and on social
media<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project will continue<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with the advocacy on caregiver support and
building other support systems that will help enhance the lives of families of
children with disabilities<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This will include providing caregiver training and
connecting trained caregivers to families that need them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Project will continue to connect or link families to the
available support systems and work with other organisations to create support
systems for families raising children with disabilities in Ghana and beyond.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project will engage in policy dialogues
and will be available to train organisations willing to do something for
children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Project will continue to offer both paid counselling and
pro-bono counselling services where necessary (Most of the counselling services
we provide are pro-bono)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Now Accepting Donations</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><i>You may donate to the Special Mothers Project via the
account name<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Hannah Awadzi<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fidelity Bank<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Adentan Branch<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Account Number :2030026812954<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Or on Momo number: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>0244547980</i></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-53766660847765331072023-12-09T10:13:00.000-08:002023-12-09T10:13:53.657-08:00Passage of the Disability Act will impact over 2,098,138 Ghanaians with functional disabilities <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIzzgvIQjCUYkwxxtDC-_lTj9rbkXf4k5nh6DrZI_DLBQszjjgbmQ_enqDnmnd0PBC_ap0X-VkX5Kf_9px1HpSxICmsvyeisyOOltHFik57EnSeH6w2Qapw8J1gIlJaH-srHBiw8L-4tZe9xXOEVD8MkL22BEpIXv0Odvld6KqN0cxnPCo4AeoVvL2Ko/s960/Social%20Disability%20Act.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIzzgvIQjCUYkwxxtDC-_lTj9rbkXf4k5nh6DrZI_DLBQszjjgbmQ_enqDnmnd0PBC_ap0X-VkX5Kf_9px1HpSxICmsvyeisyOOltHFik57EnSeH6w2Qapw8J1gIlJaH-srHBiw8L-4tZe9xXOEVD8MkL22BEpIXv0Odvld6KqN0cxnPCo4AeoVvL2Ko/s320/Social%20Disability%20Act.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ampratwum</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, Head of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Governance and</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Growth at the United Nations Development </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Programme</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, (UNDP) has said that</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">he passage of t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">he Disability</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Act</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> 715</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> will positively </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">impact</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the lives of the over </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">2,098,138 Ghanaians with functional </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">difficulties.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><p></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{a2ae1eef-25f5-4a2e-8856-aec41ad38eb4}{207}" paraid="1942405587" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">He therefore urged </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Government and Parliament to </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">expedite</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> actions to pass the Re-Enacted Act of the Act 715 and any associated instrument</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{a2ae1eef-25f5-4a2e-8856-aec41ad38eb4}{217}" paraid="1321524809" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The UN Country Team is excited to support the re-enactment of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Act</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> 715, (Persons with Disabilities Act).</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> It is our hope that by the end of 2024, the Act 715 and its accompanying legislative instrument addressing the preconditions for disability inclusion, would have been reviewed to be in line with the CRPD standards, and passed.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{a2ae1eef-25f5-4a2e-8856-aec41ad38eb4}{233}" paraid="123953513" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 16px 0px 8px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Dr </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ampratwum</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> made the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">remarks during</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> a </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">training organised</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">for Members of Parliament on the rights of persons with disabilities and inclusive development.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559738":240,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{a2ae1eef-25f5-4a2e-8856-aec41ad38eb4}{249}" paraid="1107723329" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 16px 0px 8px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">training was attended by about </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">24</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> members of parliament who have interest in promoting disability rights in parliament.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559738":240,"335559739":120,"335559740":360}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{6}" paraid="96844442" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Dr </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ampratwum</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">said,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> “t</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">he Ghana we want should be disability-inclusive, tackle injustice and discrimination, provide accessible infrastructure and create opportunities that increase access to technology that result in strengthened institutions and creating sustainable jobs and access to markets for persons with disabilities as well.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 28.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{20}" paraid="1850409767" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mr</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Abdul-Wahab Adam, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Programmes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Officer at the GFD </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">urged the members of parliament to fast-track the process of re-enacting the disability act and called on government to ensure the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{20}" paraid="1850409767" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LZlYpaIO92vyqubtY4bK4EQfdy0QZnW62q7xEbjBs0bIlcnpiLxt1kou8BmPC-OIXs18BX6zYSC9ytvAX_rL8izMOwFqE1jfFVa3fTiiDkW7MrRsdwyr2mDVCCN0C704gpTNQxm_lGChlQmTJwUcs97iqfX5bufwAwcBzd139OAQ-Sz3Vt0AyLjx6x4/s960/Social%20Disability%20Act%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LZlYpaIO92vyqubtY4bK4EQfdy0QZnW62q7xEbjBs0bIlcnpiLxt1kou8BmPC-OIXs18BX6zYSC9ytvAX_rL8izMOwFqE1jfFVa3fTiiDkW7MrRsdwyr2mDVCCN0C704gpTNQxm_lGChlQmTJwUcs97iqfX5bufwAwcBzd139OAQ-Sz3Vt0AyLjx6x4/s320/Social%20Disability%20Act%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span><p></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{28}" paraid="287188902" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Dr Clement </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Apaak</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, Member of Parliament for </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Builsa</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> South Constituency and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Chairman</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> of the Disability caucus in Parliament said </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">m</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ore Members of Parliament </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">we</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">re </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">recognising</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the need to mainstream disability issues in Ghana</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{46}" paraid="591870910" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">He said the caucus will canvass for members of parliament to push for the re-enactment of the disability bill</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> and pointed out that Ghana should not lag in the issues of disability mainstreaming issues</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{56}" paraid="1979707371" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="TextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">orikrom</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Constituency and Vice </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Chairman</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> of the disability caucus said there was the need to move beyond the talk when it came to disability issues and take practical steps to ensure disability inclusion and mainstreaming.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mr</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Joseph Atsu </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiPz4KPHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iNXB4IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjRweCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUgNCIgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4xIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHhtbG5zOnhsaW5rPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8xOTk5L3hsaW5rIj4KICAgIDwhLS0gR2VuZXJhdG9yOiBTa2V0Y2ggNTYuMiAoODE2NzIpIC0gaHR0cHM6Ly9za2V0Y2guY29tIC0tPgogICAgPHRpdGxlPnNwZWxsaW5nX3NxdWlnZ2xlPC90aXRsZT4KICAgIDxkZXNjPkNyZWF0ZWQgd2l0aCBTa2V0Y2guPC9kZXNjPgogICAgPGcgaWQ9IkZsYWdzIiBzdHJva2U9Im5vbmUiIHN0cm9rZS13aWR0aD0iMSIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIj4KICAgICAgICA8ZyB0cmFuc2Zvcm09InRyYW5zbGF0ZSgtMTAxMC4wMDAwMDAsIC0yOTYuMDAwMDAwKSIgaWQ9InNwZWxsaW5nX3NxdWlnZ2xlIj4KICAgICAgICAgICAgPGcgdHJhbnNmb3JtPSJ0cmFuc2xhdGUoMTAxMC4wMDAwMDAsIDI5Ni4wMDAwMDApIj4KICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0wLDMgQzEuMjUsMyAxLjI1LDEgMi41LDEgQzMuNzUsMSAzLjc1LDMgNSwzIiBpZD0iUGF0aCIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjRUIwMDAwIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjEiPjwvcGF0aD4KICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgIDxyZWN0IGlkPSJSZWN0YW5nbGUiIHg9IjAiIHk9IjAiIHdpZHRoPSI1IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQiPjwvcmVjdD4KICAgICAgICAgICAgPC9nPgogICAgICAgIDwvZz4KICAgIDwvZz4KPC9zdmc+')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Homadzi</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, President of the GFD, who also emphasized the urgency to </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">pass the disability bill said disability is everybody’s lot and called on parliament to put measures in place to include persons with disabilities.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW200530349 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.5042px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW200530349 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW200530349 BCX0" paraeid="{3c32ea67-3cca-4276-b8ce-e647a772e67a}{72}" paraid="749167636" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p></div>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-82913749930575591772023-12-05T10:12:00.000-08:002023-12-05T10:12:30.257-08:00Accept It!<p> I remember the first time someone told me in the face to Accept my daughter Eyram (She lives with Cerebral palsy)</p><p>I had gone to sit in the prayer garden of the Mount Moriah prayer centre. I can't remember if it was the normal Wednesday programme or a Special one.</p><p>I sat between two elderly women, (I later got to know one was a Retired Reverend Minister)</p><p>The woman watched me struggle with two babies who were not twins. One about 6months old and another two years plus but practically needed help with just everything. Her neck kept flopping backwards, she couldn't sit by herself. I had to hold her in a particular way to get her in a sitting position and that was hard.</p><p>I looked tired, even though I was there for a prayer meeting, I just couldn't pray. All I did was to think about the children and occasionally gaze absent mindedly into the air.</p><p>This woman must have watched me for sometime. She started engaging me in a conversation but I wasn't too interested. I gave her straight forward answers and turned my face off at the least opportunity. </p><p>It wasn't time for me to engage in any conversation. I just wanted to be .</p><p>Then she said ACCEPT IT. I heard that loud and clear but she repeated Accept it. I nodded, didn't know how to respond to that advice in the moment I just nodded.</p><p>That simple advice was to hunt me later on in life. Occasionally, I would hear those words echo back to me. At one point when I remembered those words, I got angry, in fact furious. </p><p>I remember shouting into the thin air as if that elderly woman could hear me.</p><p>How could she, how could she have advised me to Accept it. Would she have accepted it? I was determined to pray Cerebral palsy out of my daughter, it wasn't in the plan to Accept it but with time that simple advice became the most meaningful advice I ever had.</p><p>I slowly learnt to accept that my daughter lives with Cerebral palsy. It was a condition that she was going to live with till a miracle happened. Yes I believe in miracles and in prayer but I also learnt one important thing; that if you cannot get a miracle, be the miracle. </p><p>I slowly learnt to let go all desperation and trust the universe (God) more.</p><p>I learnt to take it one day at a time. I learnt gratitude in the process and engaged in gratitude journaling and meditation every single day of my life.</p><p>Gradually, I began to welcome genuine joy and happiness into my life.</p><p>I got to a point where I realised that I was exuding joy and positivity. </p><p>I embraced contentment and started to love my life again. </p><p>That simple advice Accept it, with time, made all the difference in my life.</p><p>Human as I am, there are times I sink. Occasionally, I will catch myself thinking like: "if only Eyram was a regular 10 year old..." but within this same journey has been moments of excitement over what someone will call little. </p><p>I have laughed loudly, I smile broadly and have become very self aware.</p><p>I learnt to understand that simple advice the elderly woman gave me. ACCEPT IT.</p><p>That advice still flashes through my mind every once in a while and when it does I just remind myself that God knows, God understands and God is involved. </p><p>My dear just Accept it!</p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-91569582910935178412023-10-03T07:02:00.003-07:002023-10-03T07:02:46.429-07:00Children with disabilities also go through the cycle of grief - Psychotherapist<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTnO-XfvXw6vggmP5FEyHV4M0ZwM1xlAzqCCzpJsn2QW-yDeisDfcJ7wzjT8IITKsr2tDcNs5TG16AY646JzqMUYfjT_5d9HFmNTtpZXQ_DfSHgXpxWCKPhq005ljJrgn8OXTq_iBTxnkV3vhVhogh9Ez7Dpcm-tfYHDnTP7T4AbujzJJ0p-CGSC79No/s1040/parents%20training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTnO-XfvXw6vggmP5FEyHV4M0ZwM1xlAzqCCzpJsn2QW-yDeisDfcJ7wzjT8IITKsr2tDcNs5TG16AY646JzqMUYfjT_5d9HFmNTtpZXQ_DfSHgXpxWCKPhq005ljJrgn8OXTq_iBTxnkV3vhVhogh9Ez7Dpcm-tfYHDnTP7T4AbujzJJ0p-CGSC79No/s320/parents%20training.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ms Colleen Chifamba, a psychotherapist and disability
consultant on Tuesday advised parents of children with disabilities to learn
about the emotional cycles involved with nurturing a child with disability to
be able to effectively support their children.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said: Children with disabilities also go through the cycle
of grief that parents go through, and parents need to understand their own
emotions and develop patience to enable them effectively support their children<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Chifamba, also person with disability, who lives with a
condition called Spina Bifida, said this at a training organised by the Special
Mothers Project, an advocacy programme for children with cerebral palsy and other
disabilities as well as their parents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The training touched on the emotional processes involved in
nurturing a child with disability, understanding the cycle of grief and how it
relates to nurturing a child with disability, integrating children with disability
into the family and becoming an efficient advocate for children with disability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Chifamba reiterated the need for support groups like
the Special Mothers Project where parents can be free to share their emotions
and be supported and advised participants not to invalidate the feelings of
parents going through the cycle of grief.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“It is important for parents to know and acknowledge where
they are in their cycle of grief,” saying, parents go through the cycle of
grief at different stages in their children’s development.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She also urged parents to have family rules that cover all
children in their household and not treat their children as special and
therefore without discipline.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You must discipline your child with disability like you do
with all other children,” she said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers
Project, advised parents to work in unity to ensure that the government
responds to the needs of children with disabilities in our society.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We can come together to advocate for inclusive education,
Inclusive health, rehabilitation centres, the availability of affordable and
trained caregivers and a lot more,” she said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Naa Densua, a special needs parents and a specialist teacher,
said it was important to have more early years inclusive educational centres,
and explained that some children with disabilities are able to overcome their
disability once there is early intervention in that direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She also advised that the Special Mothers Project works
closely with healthcare centres and hospitals to guide new parents of children
with disabilities with the real-life experiences of nurturing a child with
disability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some participants shared their experiences in parenting
their children with disabilities. <o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-23943146809745853352023-08-03T02:46:00.003-07:002023-08-03T02:53:59.582-07:00We need a number of physically challenged MPs in Parliament – Speaker<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1VVlyFKhHktr7fo2swFNEEzvBViXZTMph4VRY5LOyHj9cwSt0M0hQM4kp_OeJoClzxNfd4Azsr-8t_ooHBmF_NXS7nOLRD0Rg_x1V3l_ie9CBJDaOO_9luRJ9y0OKqR-rOkk4ARqLteYkACXWxN3-NvewnEPhBbiSqXBxQ_jKIQVB5DtDAoikoAzHHY/s1040/Speaker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1VVlyFKhHktr7fo2swFNEEzvBViXZTMph4VRY5LOyHj9cwSt0M0hQM4kp_OeJoClzxNfd4Azsr-8t_ooHBmF_NXS7nOLRD0Rg_x1V3l_ie9CBJDaOO_9luRJ9y0OKqR-rOkk4ARqLteYkACXWxN3-NvewnEPhBbiSqXBxQ_jKIQVB5DtDAoikoAzHHY/s320/Speaker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin has said that
parliament as an institution is committed to the cause of disability and
inclusion in Ghana.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We need to have a number of physically challenged persons
as Members of Parliament, it is one of the benchmarks for assessing parliaments
in the world,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Bagbin made the remark when selected members of the
disability movement and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD)
paid a courtesy call on him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Speaker of Parliament said: “we are working on all these
things to make our parliament inclusive; we will do our best to inaugurate the
disability caucus by the end of the year.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The GFD is pushing for Parliament to have a formalized disability
caucus that will support the disability movement in its advocacy and to help
effectively monitor and contribute to the disability discussions on the floor
of parliament.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoNxHN5zZW25bjeWxNrJbgzgbiDCy430HddTvxF3H8V6z6VQH2TY_rY_It1q8jYTI-PUnnnxARCz1FznJnXuES-goZurcq5FUYNnNv49iYDsFEoqekDZ88sxLJXInAGtl7QJOByTWNZ40_2A2FR3lEuz04oTGMVPpEVwwyV0DgtmII80hfZYZDextoeU/s1280/Visit%20to%20speaker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoNxHN5zZW25bjeWxNrJbgzgbiDCy430HddTvxF3H8V6z6VQH2TY_rY_It1q8jYTI-PUnnnxARCz1FznJnXuES-goZurcq5FUYNnNv49iYDsFEoqekDZ88sxLJXInAGtl7QJOByTWNZ40_2A2FR3lEuz04oTGMVPpEVwwyV0DgtmII80hfZYZDextoeU/s320/Visit%20to%20speaker.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Rita Kyeremaa Kusi, Executive Director of the GFD who led
the delegation said there was the need for an enriched and enhanced
conversation on disability issues at the parliamentary level.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She called on the Speaker to help facilitate the
re-enactment of the disability law to enable persons with disabilities enjoy
their rights in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Kusi also mentioned that Ghana is yet to ratify the
African Disability Protocol (ADP), a protocol that considers African practices
and concerns in dealing with disability issues.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said the process to sign and ratify the ADP started many
years ago but there has been challenges and called on the speaker for support
in the process.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Interim leaders of the disability caucus of parliament were
at the meeting to lend their support.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Emmanuel Marfo, Member of Parliament for Oforikrom Constituency,
Mr Clement Apaak, Member of Parliament for Builsa South and Ms Darkoa Newman,
Member of Parliament for Okaikwei South, all pledged their unflinching support
to the disability movement in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They also added their voice to the call for the formalization
and inauguration of the disability caucus in parliament to enable them to do more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Special Mothers Project was part of the delegation that paid a courtesy call on the speaker</i></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-13857374031002592792023-06-30T07:22:00.001-07:002023-06-30T13:15:48.072-07:00Special Mothers Project donates reusable diapers, sanitary pads to parents and students<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEQDpOCTfCmwgGYtnNZyLvFnyzTQrniKsZ3uC3X5idwh3ouIJKYJSMzvc-r1uBA6cRNUh1YwBrn6_8lquQrRGQIBmy5ge5MaILEeCMdv1Ca3xIpcFLzCP314qp7-mEqLFVhr3jpfv_JNqZrJqGrWPVhwSU5bsQo97NFzl09OS0bSXCatgLYLj7HY8hzE/s1040/reusable%20pads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEQDpOCTfCmwgGYtnNZyLvFnyzTQrniKsZ3uC3X5idwh3ouIJKYJSMzvc-r1uBA6cRNUh1YwBrn6_8lquQrRGQIBmy5ge5MaILEeCMdv1Ca3xIpcFLzCP314qp7-mEqLFVhr3jpfv_JNqZrJqGrWPVhwSU5bsQo97NFzl09OS0bSXCatgLYLj7HY8hzE/s320/reusable%20pads.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />The Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation
organisation on cerebral palsy issues has distributed reusable diapers to
selected members.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The organisation also donated reusable sanitary pads to
students of the Madina Demonstration school.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The reusable diapers and sanitary pads were donated from
Noah Mapalo help centre, a non-profit voluntary organisation, a UK based
organisation that supports deprived families with reusable sanitary products.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUVi2YxtNC4apUHV-vS0UNSwxyQH2KvcGfIiwXm9ysD0PJWMTIhH-hAlM3fCAphV_mXnoep_9Z1DY6TjHQgescKwD3cdUiXb387BftiF74FNgHVtICL0ny4JiQy59BLVyzGKxBjhjOiiwaY5D-Lg7bazBeQloXbfmeE23ceeJ_QM-VWcdlz2bBmru7FQ/s1040/reusable%20diaper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUVi2YxtNC4apUHV-vS0UNSwxyQH2KvcGfIiwXm9ysD0PJWMTIhH-hAlM3fCAphV_mXnoep_9Z1DY6TjHQgescKwD3cdUiXb387BftiF74FNgHVtICL0ny4JiQy59BLVyzGKxBjhjOiiwaY5D-Lg7bazBeQloXbfmeE23ceeJ_QM-VWcdlz2bBmru7FQ/s320/reusable%20diaper.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The beneficiary families 16 in all, are all parents of
children with cerebral palsy whose children depend on diapers every day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the families told the Special Mothers Project that
the reusable diapers came at the right time, “I was contemplating on where to
get money to buy diapers for the next week, then this came in”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The parents expressed gratitude to the donors for the
gesture.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-68163784232500460012023-06-17T10:58:00.001-07:002023-06-17T10:58:35.579-07:00DATSS engages special needs parents on teacher support services<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIp77fu_Y8Ec2FDjPrKZ6LG49BrztdPtdeR9siTHeyERpuFlxq9WiTmPbmC8MTKPznL5zXU_dJKfCpy7kDMJyMRD1QHnmz_h7GktEL1dklXl3EsjHuwQ1tIhjIy2_O1tQO_bmoD4sQbsrgN5wNZhvcLCBHRayC9hqnu8gDjVwaF6YxcIXkEx5G2V7N/s1040/DATSS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIp77fu_Y8Ec2FDjPrKZ6LG49BrztdPtdeR9siTHeyERpuFlxq9WiTmPbmC8MTKPznL5zXU_dJKfCpy7kDMJyMRD1QHnmz_h7GktEL1dklXl3EsjHuwQ1tIhjIy2_O1tQO_bmoD4sQbsrgN5wNZhvcLCBHRayC9hqnu8gDjVwaF6YxcIXkEx5G2V7N/s320/DATSS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Disability Awareness Teachers Support Service (DATSS), a non-governmental
organisation that provides support to teachers and teachers aid working with students with disabilities has
trained parents of children with cerebral palsy to equip them to handle their
children’s education better.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The training focused on the strategies, tactics and tools
used to educate children with special educational needs and parents’
preparedness to educate their children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Comfort Walker, Chief Executive Officer of DATSS, said
her organisation aimed at training educated persons to become teachers aid in
various schools and even at the household level to support children with
cerebral palsy and other disability to be educated.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ8dx8H-3vLebx4enNX7Ts2IQt3Ae0gYaOfYM15hPb36UR-B_NDrD2OBaNv_WW3FP4rar8ApL1Chtv3xtKGCLQDwx4rEaX9d9TaQAIMkDJTmfO1P-Ucqvy9FBNrToUg_VPUi3Ai47PD9XOxZvyhlb1_SvPcEATTMhsw_XWMAPTTXmWO1p8e3-V9En/s1040/DATSS%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ8dx8H-3vLebx4enNX7Ts2IQt3Ae0gYaOfYM15hPb36UR-B_NDrD2OBaNv_WW3FP4rar8ApL1Chtv3xtKGCLQDwx4rEaX9d9TaQAIMkDJTmfO1P-Ucqvy9FBNrToUg_VPUi3Ai47PD9XOxZvyhlb1_SvPcEATTMhsw_XWMAPTTXmWO1p8e3-V9En/s320/DATSS%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We hope to train National Service persons to work as
Teacher aids in the various schools to support government’s inclusive education
agenda or at home to educate children who need special education,”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Walker who specializes in low incidence disability and
has worked as a special education teacher in the United States for 17 years
said having teachers aid in schools was a good start, “your child with special
needs going to school will not be limited.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sharing her own experience, she said “I was educated in Ghana,
and I struggled a bit in school because the way I learn was not how I was
taught.”<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQnt1XsBG6X5uecfv9LufgwG7qOu9pEDZM9uUUF53QWMX3CxYkFpLuvyBKTwo4_oYvpqaqcU5FlXjwrZPyooF3aT37kew8MqjToLGmN44Cj5B7Ea2nJGamfscUD4t8AS_NZhjYQ45RAvvY5q2SMwHEglr1kD9kp_OSQpXmZNgCyQS-pugAcpZfXI8/s1040/DATSS%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQnt1XsBG6X5uecfv9LufgwG7qOu9pEDZM9uUUF53QWMX3CxYkFpLuvyBKTwo4_oYvpqaqcU5FlXjwrZPyooF3aT37kew8MqjToLGmN44Cj5B7Ea2nJGamfscUD4t8AS_NZhjYQ45RAvvY5q2SMwHEglr1kD9kp_OSQpXmZNgCyQS-pugAcpZfXI8/s320/DATSS%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Walker urged parents to equip themselves with information
and data about their children to enable them to educate them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The parents, members of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation organisation on cerebral palsy issues, asked practical questions and shared their lived
experiences.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIaX7OZ8tzyp_j-q5ftIWi33AM09jRxr-nwDnL1PDTzyaqgjTkTdEm12KNzcw8OuTgbiAS8MH6jeeqPle8StqzFsXLCMvfNeaSAcXbYrZNhjce3yzhUgSwb1pxr-c49mil3B7luHtXi8DHPeTbtv3clWgSGptaBhs1jW6IkwhIgNvgg80wGDfDioo/s1040/DATSS%20SMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIaX7OZ8tzyp_j-q5ftIWi33AM09jRxr-nwDnL1PDTzyaqgjTkTdEm12KNzcw8OuTgbiAS8MH6jeeqPle8StqzFsXLCMvfNeaSAcXbYrZNhjce3yzhUgSwb1pxr-c49mil3B7luHtXi8DHPeTbtv3clWgSGptaBhs1jW6IkwhIgNvgg80wGDfDioo/s320/DATSS%20SMP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-4598777618939959282023-06-02T07:42:00.000-07:002023-06-02T07:42:11.592-07:00Adenta Municipal Assembly trains caregivers of children with disabilities<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Ts7-PTE939po1GFtZWkyM36GTa5bkbYiVkwt2yT6rzOCt2xwEInG5ZRx65ze31AGTlS7BAECCTd-tc2Jv0zRrX7qX06Os--8PadtRZ5z5d32d9N3zJzGuknjAagRhSnobhFC-Yloc-UlaNdTcgAusZRbYNLln5Q2BfoZFtPPl3N8Kyp65MVOvhO/s1040/Social%20Adenta%20support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Ts7-PTE939po1GFtZWkyM36GTa5bkbYiVkwt2yT6rzOCt2xwEInG5ZRx65ze31AGTlS7BAECCTd-tc2Jv0zRrX7qX06Os--8PadtRZ5z5d32d9N3zJzGuknjAagRhSnobhFC-Yloc-UlaNdTcgAusZRbYNLln5Q2BfoZFtPPl3N8Kyp65MVOvhO/s320/Social%20Adenta%20support.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Adenta Municipal Assembly on Friday organised a training
session for caregivers of children with disabilities, calling on especially
parents to exude positivity about their children.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers
Project, a not-for-profit advocacy organisation and resource person for the
training, urged the parents to speak positively and work hard to train their
children with disabilities to become useful members of society.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>“Let’s join hands to start a positive thread about our children
with disabilities, let’s affirm them, let’s encourage them and let’s love them
so that society can emulate our positive behaviors.</b></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The training programme brought together about 50 parents of children
with diverse forms of disability.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb2YafcdobDerzO7p1fK-HObvdwinYYwAIGFQ4tPPhzUUa7JzBkysnLMx0juzTaGt3WPhkSO6zOvt_p37DZFtANcjJ9Gr2Sd15jmJc5rth4bQBi05AVQICw-eM9FbAh4lAPq7NJ2GoXLtnbDO3aIajaJIEPeeU31lJRtgs9X_J3Uj6ewsnyLUMA-c/s1280/Adenta%20support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb2YafcdobDerzO7p1fK-HObvdwinYYwAIGFQ4tPPhzUUa7JzBkysnLMx0juzTaGt3WPhkSO6zOvt_p37DZFtANcjJ9Gr2Sd15jmJc5rth4bQBi05AVQICw-eM9FbAh4lAPq7NJ2GoXLtnbDO3aIajaJIEPeeU31lJRtgs9X_J3Uj6ewsnyLUMA-c/s320/Adenta%20support.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Awadzi advised the parents to accept their children,
love them and show them kindness and also become their number one advocate in
society.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We need to speak up for our children, we need to teach
society about the positives, and we have to join hands to advocate for good
implementable policies for our children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said parents could also come together to support one
another, especially with the backing of the Assembly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many of the participants and caregivers who shared their experiences
expressed concerns about the lack of educational facilities for their children.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabnifkio_pcz7v4YZwTf9TpfZC0NXSUJp8YDH_-YQgBWJESYd4F3ahFdJx8rPDqC8MiVLyhh4euUa2QFMXoQoja4X5RsrpQxc44Yz529gSEDE422tYCpB-kVo931iB2d5zjLaVr221oRABiGT_yUTHRwI8yFTcystAcAEqWxF3-Uwo7HJahZnxZws/s1280/Adenta%20support%20group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabnifkio_pcz7v4YZwTf9TpfZC0NXSUJp8YDH_-YQgBWJESYd4F3ahFdJx8rPDqC8MiVLyhh4euUa2QFMXoQoja4X5RsrpQxc44Yz529gSEDE422tYCpB-kVo931iB2d5zjLaVr221oRABiGT_yUTHRwI8yFTcystAcAEqWxF3-Uwo7HJahZnxZws/s320/Adenta%20support%20group.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Divine Arnold Kodjo Exorgbe, Municipal Head at the
Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Adenta Municipal, told
the parents and caregivers about the services and programs that the Department
offers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“At the Adenta Municipal, we support primary caregivers with
education, Trade and investment using the Disability Funds for persons with disabilities
at the Assembly.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Exorgbe urged parents to put in a yearly application for funds
for their children’s educational support.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He encouraged the parents to join hands with the Special
Mothers Project to start a support group within the municipality where they
could support one another and join hands to advocate for favourable policies.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-43757771054353196192023-04-19T13:18:00.000-07:002023-04-19T13:18:16.917-07:00Disability Inclusion is a cross-cutting theme in the activities of the World Bank <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfHCuww0f92qgl5ZhNvUQhiEYkUDBmmZyqMVg_f4QSZ-QuyxQTiKXrVkUEOUxwg6ZoAPT5giDF3O9b_Pm1Xv9PuSwG1QDA5RV55TsB-L6Gufb3OkMeG9NKNTIWHEDJ5oGoUzdnbKgAEOF-d-1Vq_E7ViLAJVXkcjCcMrv_LRJAum2LjngTIYM9zhp/s1040/GFD%20Partners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfHCuww0f92qgl5ZhNvUQhiEYkUDBmmZyqMVg_f4QSZ-QuyxQTiKXrVkUEOUxwg6ZoAPT5giDF3O9b_Pm1Xv9PuSwG1QDA5RV55TsB-L6Gufb3OkMeG9NKNTIWHEDJ5oGoUzdnbKgAEOF-d-1Vq_E7ViLAJVXkcjCcMrv_LRJAum2LjngTIYM9zhp/s320/GFD%20Partners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ms Eunice Yaa Brimfah Ackwerh, a Senior Educational
Specialist at the World Bank Ghana Office, has said disability inclusion was a
cross-cutting theme in the activities of the world Bank.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said the World Bank as an institution was conscious of
disability inclusion and therefore ensure that all their projects and
programmes factored disability inclusion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We would like to see a time when in all our projects we
engage persons with disabilities to guide as in how we include them,” Ms.
Ackwerh said when the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD)
organised a conference to engage with development partners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms. Ackwerh said: “We are making some progress when it comes
to disability inclusion, yet there is so much more to be done.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The GFD partners conference brought together NGOs working in
the disability sector, corporate organisations and developed partners to
dialogue about disability inclusion and how all the organisations can work
together to ensure disability inclusive development in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, President of the GFD who courted
continuous support from the partners said persons with disabilities suffer some
forms of human rights abuse in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What we need is equal opportunities, once we are given the
opportunity, we will excel. We have the capacity, we have the potential, and we
can excel,” Mr Homadzi said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Yaw Ofori Debrah, a former President of the GFD said what
persons with disability needed is understanding, opportunity and equity, “we do
not need charity.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Moses Fordjour, Monitoring, Evaluation and knowledge
Management Manager at the GFD, said government’s slow response to issues of
disability results in the waning interest in the activities of Organisations
for Persons with Disabilities (OPDs)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“A Ghana without OPDs will be disastrously unimaginable,” he
said.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-45331058152210368002023-03-25T02:46:00.001-07:002023-03-25T03:21:44.117-07:00Every activity of the GFD will touch the life of a person with disability positively – Mr Homadzi <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3U_iU1PdTjPc_yzNq9EXUSq5j2nD5EaiSjISZxRsqSfp4V9zOldhGCHU7vFzxCLlX6wNGaHODdd-gX-jkF9LidijS0LNEtBfOinSQ8Y_IfPs-AWypve-WMEj-O_NeMA7llDAqgU3U4cuAx2ohvvjPH6BaApontoHQE2_dV5zJ8gymxlZV8rVaHQaf/s1280/social%20Disability%20Impact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3U_iU1PdTjPc_yzNq9EXUSq5j2nD5EaiSjISZxRsqSfp4V9zOldhGCHU7vFzxCLlX6wNGaHODdd-gX-jkF9LidijS0LNEtBfOinSQ8Y_IfPs-AWypve-WMEj-O_NeMA7llDAqgU3U4cuAx2ohvvjPH6BaApontoHQE2_dV5zJ8gymxlZV8rVaHQaf/s320/social%20Disability%20Impact.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="TextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mr</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Joseph Atsu </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Homadzi</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, President of the Ghana Federation of Disability </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Orgnisations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> (GFD) has tasked member</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">organisations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to ensure that every activity they undertake will </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">impact</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the life of a person with disability positively</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mr</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Homadzi</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> said there was the need to strengthen member </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">organisations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to make the GFD stronger</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; 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-webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiPz4KPHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iNXB4IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjRweCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUgNCIgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4xIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHhtbG5zOnhsaW5rPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8xOTk5L3hsaW5rIj4KICAgIDwhLS0gR2VuZXJhdG9yOiBTa2V0Y2ggNTYuMiAoODE2NzIpIC0gaHR0cHM6Ly9za2V0Y2guY29tIC0tPgogICAgPHRpdGxlPnNwZWxsaW5nX3NxdWlnZ2xlPC90aXRsZT4KICAgIDxkZXNjPkNyZWF0ZWQgd2l0aCBTa2V0Y2guPC9kZXNjPgogICAgPGcgaWQ9IkZsYWdzIiBzdHJva2U9Im5vbmUiIHN0cm9rZS13aWR0aD0iMSIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIj4KICAgICAgICA8ZyB0cmFuc2Zvcm09InRyYW5zbGF0ZSgtMTAxMC4wMDAwMDAsIC0yOTYuMDAwMDAwKSIgaWQ9InNwZWxsaW5nX3NxdWlnZ2xlIj4KICAgICAgICAgICAgPGcgdHJhbnNmb3JtPSJ0cmFuc2xhdGUoMTAxMC4wMDAwMDAsIDI5Ni4wMDAwMDApIj4KICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0wLDMgQzEuMjUsMyAxLjI1LDEgMi41LDEgQzMuNzUsMSAzLjc1LDMgNSwzIiBpZD0iUGF0aCIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjRUIwMDAwIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjEiPjwvcGF0aD4KICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgIDxyZWN0IGlkPSJSZWN0YW5nbGUiIHg9IjAiIHk9IjAiIHdpZHRoPSI1IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQiPjwvcmVjdD4KICAgICAgICAgICAgPC9nPgogICAgICAgIDwvZz4KICAgIDwvZz4KPC9zdmc+")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mrs</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Rita </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Kyeremaa</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Kusi, Executive Director of the GFD</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> said the GFD as a body cannot do it alone without the support of member </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">organisations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW61346002 BCX0" paraeid="{385e5caa-99d9-4af3-8075-377c8da1ce5b}{247}" paraid="908044674" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW61346002 BCX0" paraeid="{385e5caa-99d9-4af3-8075-377c8da1ce5b}{247}" paraid="908044674" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">She pledged the GFD’s continuous support </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">for member </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">organisations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW61346002 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, saying, “we will continue to provide support.”</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW61346002 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-29706236681244647492023-03-09T04:14:00.003-08:002023-03-09T04:25:21.808-08:00OAfrica wants support to continue rehabilitative services <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEjO__OG0ReaRHN2-WSVF88WaTb-vC0Nd9jo8dUAOVygsuCSfPA-Lq4swzeZEGTouZYAVOHF3MCm_1RauCrJNpR0aQsiGpddmKd8fovvmUeD2DDiFX7xIaCnuO-dSFJHahVCEvjEWjL7HezfPZd8mnl310ew7O-d88CYdt3A5GeMWcp2aCzyWW7kh/s1024/rehab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1024" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEjO__OG0ReaRHN2-WSVF88WaTb-vC0Nd9jo8dUAOVygsuCSfPA-Lq4swzeZEGTouZYAVOHF3MCm_1RauCrJNpR0aQsiGpddmKd8fovvmUeD2DDiFX7xIaCnuO-dSFJHahVCEvjEWjL7HezfPZd8mnl310ew7O-d88CYdt3A5GeMWcp2aCzyWW7kh/s320/rehab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">OAfrica, a not for profit, child
welfare organisation is calling on philanthropists to support them access therapy for people in their care.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The organisation currently has 10
adults with various disabilities in an assisted living facility who need
various therapies and rehabilitation services to keep them going.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ms Jacinta Attakorah, a social worker
with the organisation told <i><b>the Special Mothers Project</b></i> that sourcing funding
has been very difficult after the COVID -19 pandemic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She explained that the people in their
care were between the ages of 19 and 26 and lived with various kinds of
disability including autism, cerebral palsy <span style="color: #434344; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">psychosis and other disabilities</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OAfrica currently employers foster parents
who lives with the persons in their care and take them through various daily
living skills as well as enrolling them in various vocations to make them
productive citizens and enable them to earn an income by themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ms Attakorah said: “we need physiotherapists,
occupational therapists, speech therapists, special educationists and
counsellors to support the work we do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #434344; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OAfrica has established the Foster Family
Care (FFC) programme where children abandoned by their families due to poverty
or disability are provided with a safe, stable, and loving environment essential
to their well-being as steps are taken to find more permanent care. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #434344; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ms Attakorah said the children are placed
in foster care with a specially trained foster mother who provides for their
daily physical needs and, most importantly, offers love and encouragement that
is essential for children who have often experienced instability, neglect or
even abuse when they arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-break: break-word; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #434344; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OAfrica is working hard to ensure that each
foster family care placement will provide the essential love and support that
these children need to thrive, she added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-50126073653910790872023-02-14T05:27:00.000-08:002023-02-14T05:27:56.162-08:00Persons with disabilities in the West African sub region lack accessible facilities.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBFEH2lIb9dl5L_BK1gP_lFJ15V-hf_F44QlxtVKCVQ90bwqIp1KPMG6vJL5D17t4LXD3uqeg5Iw7WRBElguHY67BXCb61M9-rJjre3X8U1NBq5IZcTrqeLVBeFklovISTfQl8aaMKKNsAD1gLT7OSy9e1QxogJGGNiwXJ81eAYhyu9CD7FkGIowc/s1040/WAFOD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBFEH2lIb9dl5L_BK1gP_lFJ15V-hf_F44QlxtVKCVQ90bwqIp1KPMG6vJL5D17t4LXD3uqeg5Iw7WRBElguHY67BXCb61M9-rJjre3X8U1NBq5IZcTrqeLVBeFklovISTfQl8aaMKKNsAD1gLT7OSy9e1QxogJGGNiwXJ81eAYhyu9CD7FkGIowc/s320/WAFOD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Mr Yatma Fall, President of the West Africa Federation of Persons
with Disabilities, has called on governments within the West African sub region
to prioritise accessibility issues that persons with disabilities face.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He said disability becomes a challenge when there is no
accessibility and “we cannot develop our region without including the needs of
persons with disabilities.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Fall said there are about 60 million persons with disabilities
living in West Africa and governments cannot afford to leave them behind in the
develop agenda.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was speaking at the opening of a training programme for
member of the West Africa Federation of Persons with Disabilities (WAFOD) on accessibility
issues.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The WAFOD is made up of 16 federations of persons with
disabilities from 16 countries including Ghana, Cote’D’ Ivoire, Senegal, Togo,
South Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea Conakry, Niger among others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mr Fall said governments should be intentional about making
policies, programmes and systems that facilitated the inclusion of person with
disability especially in the area of accessibility.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“We cannot afford to leave behind 60 million persons with disabilities
in West Africa,” he reiterated.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Esther Ekua Gyamfi, Executive Secretary of the National
Council on Persons with Disabilities who represented the Government said Ghana
had taken steps to ensure the accessibility of persons with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said there are various programmes and policies being
implemented to ensure that persons with disabilities in Ghana are not limited
by accessibility and pledged government’s continuous support towards
facilitating accessibility.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-52027422602924114872023-02-04T03:32:00.004-08:002023-02-04T03:50:16.386-08:00CLCD explores Peer Health Navigators programme with caregivers.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg8hRtakmqFFuOKNQ7-1qVGV9DNEtaE3n6RcADEctftplgreTz210-P0i3c9eFPZkjL3xviCBSURMB9JeEk5el1w0aEvRaIR2amGOOKL45L5RWUo1FjE3FtvWICEMm-HXaBrJdhfaLf757VaP1shdgO2kgexv08soDNhxHe50qmy-yjphTGIuiFUa/s1280/PHN%20training.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg8hRtakmqFFuOKNQ7-1qVGV9DNEtaE3n6RcADEctftplgreTz210-P0i3c9eFPZkjL3xviCBSURMB9JeEk5el1w0aEvRaIR2amGOOKL45L5RWUo1FjE3FtvWICEMm-HXaBrJdhfaLf757VaP1shdgO2kgexv08soDNhxHe50qmy-yjphTGIuiFUa/s320/PHN%20training.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Centre for Learning and Childhood Disabilities (CLCD) is
exploring a project dubbed: Our Peer -Empowerment and Navigational Support (OP-ENS)”
where selected parents of children with disabilities will be trained to serve
as peer navigators.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Under the project, three Peer Health Navigators (PHN), all parents
of children with disabilities have been trained to empower other parents of
children with disabilities by providing them individualized support and
structured problem-solving skills to overcome barriers to healthcare.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Esinam Adade, a Researcher at CLCD who facilitated the PHN
training, said most persons with disabilities have poorer access to health care
and poorer health and a Peer Health Navigator could help remove some of these
barriers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said the PHN programme have been used successfully in
cancer and chronic illness treatment to reduce health disparities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Adade said the CLCD PHN programme is tailored to meet the
primary needs of caregivers of children with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She urged the trainees to integrate their unique experiences
and background with the course content.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The trainees were taken through the various Developmental
Disabilities, their symptoms,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the risk
factors, some basic management techniques and the available resources that
could help parents of children with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT36HMFVBuRwgGByw1SFryE2OuU9IiESfw70X_kzm-OTkCFl-hZqp-kDqOJHgL1nvRvWSEkU9bUDoP8Yyr4mq6FZnqQNjGIlPWlY1Hn5yGJv2kUKzcpdyUG95666-zczUAI2Yq4iWeof33Nbz_JMsrG4SLg8W4U_BqKfjgy9YVzA1l1P9opjKiX6LM/s1080/Developmental%20Milestones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT36HMFVBuRwgGByw1SFryE2OuU9IiESfw70X_kzm-OTkCFl-hZqp-kDqOJHgL1nvRvWSEkU9bUDoP8Yyr4mq6FZnqQNjGIlPWlY1Hn5yGJv2kUKzcpdyUG95666-zczUAI2Yq4iWeof33Nbz_JMsrG4SLg8W4U_BqKfjgy9YVzA1l1P9opjKiX6LM/s320/Developmental%20Milestones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-41509692932695350262023-01-30T06:39:00.003-08:002023-01-30T06:53:59.033-08:00AaCT celebrates 25 years of Autism Advocacy <p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Autism Awareness Care and Training
Centre, (AaCT) an organisation committed to the inclusion of persons with
Autism in Ghana is celebrating 25 years of Autism Advocacy this year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AaCT advocates and train persons
living with Autism to become useful citizens by teaching them daily living
skills as well as some skills needed for the job market in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Students are taught how to wash
clothes and dishes, weaving, engage in various craft activities as well as
sporting activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Autism spectrum disorder is a
developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Persons on the
spectrum may have problems<span style="background: white; color: #202124;"> with
social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or
interests.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mrs
Serwah Quaynor, Founder of Autism Awareness Care and Training Centre, told the <i><b>Special Mothers Project</b></i> that it has been 25 years of hard work and yet a lot still
needed to be done to achieve the full inclusion of persons living with Autism.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWZXxaUO_-7GLid-P6TPwlCl7-3yUwhYlsZ2iUQ0LHoiSWBEKBIx1MLoJUwe1hQ5Jq0LC3pCY_olA8rfPoOuQrC_ptghuQQH_-OF3Dkgy7tAk_7cJIwcV_-hYF4q50PQ0itFsPze672I0RT2cKlYpOzHrTFjpluG6_PaHYkdSGMDc1xQko7DRxQgL/s640/Serwah%20Quaynor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWZXxaUO_-7GLid-P6TPwlCl7-3yUwhYlsZ2iUQ0LHoiSWBEKBIx1MLoJUwe1hQ5Jq0LC3pCY_olA8rfPoOuQrC_ptghuQQH_-OF3Dkgy7tAk_7cJIwcV_-hYF4q50PQ0itFsPze672I0RT2cKlYpOzHrTFjpluG6_PaHYkdSGMDc1xQko7DRxQgL/s320/Serwah%20Quaynor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ahead
of 2<sup>nd</sup> April, which is designated as World Autism Day, AaCT is
engaging in a series of awareness creation activities to enable people
understand persons on the autism spectrum disorder.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mrs
Quaynor said Autism in Ghana was either the result of a curse or bad parenting,
but AaCT had proven that persons with Autism could develop their God given potential
when given the opportunity and the right support.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She said
almost all the autism centers in Ghana have received direct support with
respect to their inception and continuous delivery and have trained and
mentored numerous professionals supporting autism in Ghana. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mrs
Quaynor called on the government to give practical support not only to persons
living with Autism but to all children with special educational needs to enable
them realise their full potential.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-12845568324920335862023-01-24T08:22:00.001-08:002023-01-24T08:22:17.171-08:00Be committed to training your children with Special Needs - Parents told <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJy-n-yDRpA-1tW2nLx71BRXHCeHC2j_R3XCxTLP137TJckpViyYV4lxUhjB4f-s3kUMuNabTa6KDRvn7lt3UT9Y_OiejTnLN8lfiotELxXrbFdAg2YQEfzuSg7kS8n1pUM5YcYFtb2fQFsOaPvmU1EqlT9n13y8cxtz20Bz4vHNtC_HmQuEa6s8N/s1040/Education%20Learners%20Disability.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJy-n-yDRpA-1tW2nLx71BRXHCeHC2j_R3XCxTLP137TJckpViyYV4lxUhjB4f-s3kUMuNabTa6KDRvn7lt3UT9Y_OiejTnLN8lfiotELxXrbFdAg2YQEfzuSg7kS8n1pUM5YcYFtb2fQFsOaPvmU1EqlT9n13y8cxtz20Bz4vHNtC_HmQuEa6s8N/s320/Education%20Learners%20Disability.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ms Helena </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Botwe</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, a teacher at the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Dzorwulu</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Special School has advised parents of children with special needs to be committed to their training </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><p></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{6436a296-ad68-4892-bff2-ecffce3899bb}{214}" paraid="171397149" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">"Children with special needs</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, need</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to be trained both at home and in school to help them become responsible adults,"</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{6436a296-ad68-4892-bff2-ecffce3899bb}{228}" paraid="1571515515" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; 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-webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB">"Don't leave your child with special needs just like that, invest some time to train your child to do basic daily living skills," she urged</span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{6436a296-ad68-4892-bff2-ecffce3899bb}{238}" paraid="48969615" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{6436a296-ad68-4892-bff2-ecffce3899bb}{242}" paraid="611318440" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ms </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Botwe</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> gave the advice when the La </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Nkwantanang</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Madina</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Municipal Education Directorate organised a day's meeting for learners with special educational needs and their parents as well as some teachers within the Municipality.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{5}" paraid="1778755593" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{9}" paraid="648773914" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB">She said parents needed to show responsibility and collaborate with the schools especially the teachers to help train the children to become responsible adults and meaningful citizens. </span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{15}" paraid="1513733091" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{19}" paraid="663011316" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ms Sylvia </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Kuagbenu</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, Municipal Special Needs and Inclusive Education Coordinator</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, said</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the meeting was to enable parents and teachers share ideas and familiarise with each other.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{33}" paraid="1103688598" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{37}" paraid="79795346" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">She said the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Madina</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Demonstration Basic and Special Education unit needed support to be able to function well and collaborating with the parents was a step in the right direction </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{51}" paraid="1210765650" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Mrs Hannah </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Awadzi</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy programme on Cerebral palsy issues, who was the guest of honour, admonished parents to equip themselves with knowledge about their children's conditions to enable them train the children appropriately </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; 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user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW80525638 BCX0" paraeid="{c33acc30-84fe-456a-b6da-6f25923a7337}{65}" paraid="243641128" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">She also advised teachers to respect and value the </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">parents'</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> opinions since the parents were considered the first professional with regards to their children's conditions.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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-webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="TextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-GB" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Ms Love </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Amoabeng</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Koromoah</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, Schedule Officer for Persons with Disabilities at the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Madina</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Social Welfare who chaired the meeting</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, educated</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW80525638 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the parents about the Common Fund for persons with disabilities and encouraged the parents to apply when they needed help</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW80525638 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p></div>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-28772653677942663382023-01-18T01:47:00.001-08:002023-01-18T01:47:34.310-08:00Lady with Cerebral Palsy is appealing to universities to admit her.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2XyKDECfqhEQ7cx4Bn-sdWVfi3SFg3M7hDHWcrPT4ZWN3P0NMme_Qx-nRAqrJitifHxrDiDFPddPwTSetuLR4Fa9TMYdTrwjjk8Boaa1uPEI_vgJifTRJj372Du4EbGSwJ8WxUJhmnIHeQG9kKFl4Kev2l8dWwRfIFBJFYdjOf0RZgJ8upHDrkNl/s1687/Cerebral%20palsy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="1687" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2XyKDECfqhEQ7cx4Bn-sdWVfi3SFg3M7hDHWcrPT4ZWN3P0NMme_Qx-nRAqrJitifHxrDiDFPddPwTSetuLR4Fa9TMYdTrwjjk8Boaa1uPEI_vgJifTRJj372Du4EbGSwJ8WxUJhmnIHeQG9kKFl4Kev2l8dWwRfIFBJFYdjOf0RZgJ8upHDrkNl/s320/Cerebral%20palsy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />A 26-year-old lady living with cerebral palsy is appealing
to Universities in Ghana and abroad to give her a chance to university
education.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Nora Nuerkie Dawoo, completed Senior High School (SHS) in
2018 but she said she was failed by the West African Examination Council (WEAC)
because of her handwriting.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She said: “My condition cerebral palsy makes it very
difficult for me to write and when I do, it is not legible for someone to read.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“When I was writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination
(BECE) an exemption was applied for me by a special education teacher in the school,
so I was given extra time and all the tools I needed to write the exams,
however, when I was writing the SHS examination I was registered as a regular
student.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Dawoo told the <i><b>Special Mothers Project</b></i> that she
is intelligent and can make it <o:p></o:p>to the university given the necessary assistance
and push, but she had been stranded with her education since 2018.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I am always home, I am unable to even go out, but I know I
have the potential to succeed, and I do not want my condition to limit me,” she
said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms Dawoo said her father died when she was in SHS form Two
and since then life has been a bit more tough for her in terms of finances,
calling on government, corporate organisations and philanthropists to support
her to make her dream come true.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She speaks good English; she can type on her phone and use apps.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Madam Lizzy Sowah, mother of Ms Dawoo, said her daughter was
a fighter and believes she will succeed given the needed support.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She recalled that during her time in SHS, her classmates use
to physically carry her to and from school every day, “her classmates really
helped her to improve and gave her great company.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Now she is always in the room crying, she doesn’t even come
out and it is not helping her at all,” she added.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Madam Sowah said her daughter is intelligent and called on
government and the Universities to give her a chance to further her education.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-37704076636532208922023-01-13T01:17:00.001-08:002023-01-13T01:17:46.598-08:00Stakeholders urge government to prioritise Inclusion in ECCD Policy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2tduWx34rwMbV65jH1vROMxFKzdcUZcBKsY2B9iFRi9lbGDfqCfauUgne4itWaRn7eR0lRzARVOn7cbJzP-xW0ff_Vg9L4qcD7eA6wRmwO9XIDWSf2yUFzND75d370yqKC8yLm1dbkHJWON0_tgfSWsOcRhmiPWllpva00i8nYIK9_QX4mWHxoOo/s1200/Inclusion.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2tduWx34rwMbV65jH1vROMxFKzdcUZcBKsY2B9iFRi9lbGDfqCfauUgne4itWaRn7eR0lRzARVOn7cbJzP-xW0ff_Vg9L4qcD7eA6wRmwO9XIDWSf2yUFzND75d370yqKC8yLm1dbkHJWON0_tgfSWsOcRhmiPWllpva00i8nYIK9_QX4mWHxoOo/s320/Inclusion.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Stakeholders at a workshop to validate Ghana’s Early
Childhood Care and Development Policy (ECCD) has urged the government to
prioritise Inclusion in the policy.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The participants said the very slow pace of integrating children
with disabilities and their caregivers into the mainstream, demands a devoted
policy focus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The workshop organised by the Department of Children looked
at the revised Early Childhood Care and Development Policy framework to solicit
final inputs<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The draft revised ECCD Policy defines six domains which are
nurturing care, health, nutrition, early learning, safety and security,
responsive caregiving, and inclusion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The inclusion domain focuses on introducing interventions
and promoting behaviours that will accelerate access to services and care for
children with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The inclusion domain also provides for support to caregivers
of young children with disabilities in recognition of the additional burden
that caring for children with special needs imposes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mrs Florence Ayisi-Quartey, Acting Director of the
Department of Children, said inclusion was important and cut across various
sectors and pledged the department’s commitment towards the inclusion of
children with disabilities in mainstream programmes.<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-21663566739106540982022-12-23T21:54:00.003-08:002022-12-23T22:22:32.889-08:002022 - Another fruitful year of Advocacy <p> In the year 2021, the board and Management of the Special
Mothers Project made a firm decision to focus on Advocacy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project is an advocacy programme that
aims at creating awareness, sensitising and changing mindsets about children with
Cerebral palsy and by extension children with disabilities and their families. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our advocacy also aims at influencing policies to favour
children with Cerebral palsy and other disabilities as well as their families. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The year 2022 has been yet another year of fruitful
advocacy. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWObMJy98bst0M6kFWXdXGr89nH7GZMh_wO8daxEMCOjyYlAcL41buLGnuGlvGd9Gz1yMOTdl4XSEIuw_2KIuvPi3svqoBEzjbmF8-BxHIqrgM7nvWO0rpvX5ldndq7w2uvShPmBqesr1mAn9j2NxAw5CREEE9FL0dQAcygcqNmilkHC_iUOnCMBut/s6000/%23CPA%20AFRICA%20(31%20of%2085).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWObMJy98bst0M6kFWXdXGr89nH7GZMh_wO8daxEMCOjyYlAcL41buLGnuGlvGd9Gz1yMOTdl4XSEIuw_2KIuvPi3svqoBEzjbmF8-BxHIqrgM7nvWO0rpvX5ldndq7w2uvShPmBqesr1mAn9j2NxAw5CREEE9FL0dQAcygcqNmilkHC_iUOnCMBut/s320/%23CPA%20AFRICA%20(31%20of%2085).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our advocacy is done by highlighting real issues affecting
families raising children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We bring their issues to the fore using social media and
mainstream media platforms and court empathy and support to ensure policy
changes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Among the issues the project highlighted were: The case of Edem,
a single Special Needs father who struggled to make an income to care for
himself and his child because of the lack of efficient support system and
services. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Edem's issue was further highlighted by Joy Prime, a part of
the Multimedia Group who joined forces to call for policies and efficient
support systems in Ghana for children with Cerebral palsy and their families. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project organised and information
session on seizures. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Yvonne Brew, a pediatrician at the Greater Accra Regional
Hospital was the invited guest who came to educate parents about seizures. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Parents who attended the Information Session on seizures
also had the opportunity to register with the National Council on Persons with
Disability. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The parents also benefitted from the benevolence of Mrs
Salome Okoh, a Special Mom who donated mobility equipment as well as some
medical equipment and some toiletries to the parents. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In year 2022. the Special Mothers Project recorded the
highest number of deaths of the children with cerebral palsy since the project
began in 2015.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some Parents who lost their children with cerebral palsy
were presented with parcels and some amount of money contributed by members of
the project as a way to commiserate with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project also participated in several
workshops and training sessions organised by the Ghana Federation of Disability
Organisations with support from Ghana Somubi Dwumadie.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>For most of the workshops and training sessions as well as
the meetings that the Special Mothers Project attended, it was also an
opportunity to publicise some of the activities within the Disability
fraternity on the Project's blog and social media platforms as well as some
mainstream media channels.</p><p class="MsoNormal">It is worth mentioning that Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project who is also the Online Editor at the Ghana News Agency was among 20 fellows who participated in the Media Capacity Building Initiative for Reporting on Disability organized by the Young African Media Center with support from the United States Embassy in Ghana. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The fellowship was an opportunity to share with other media colleagues some of the experiences of parents of children with disabilities and also widen her media network </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project also had the opportunity to
educate various groups and stakeholders on Cerebral palsy issues, the latest
was being invited to grace the occasion and also share with congregants of the
Victory Bible Church,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dominion
Sanctuary,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a bit about children with
Special Needs when they launched a Sunday school facility for children with
special needs. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDqKYozlk_DUgrxfTAOXOBw97miNtzbtKN83fGgJC9ocjXDvfT7uZmEhH3CbE9bzVaAZoDYC01IL3ijec0uqRGuzfv1v-Vkyotd4xYXRSvauZqRlwXI0vexPtHgKhhmcfcvddqMXMOWMukPWDbCrJbh5VItb43QvnMX8gvyPt5Rum55OvJ-SPSpWZ/s1024/VBCI%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDqKYozlk_DUgrxfTAOXOBw97miNtzbtKN83fGgJC9ocjXDvfT7uZmEhH3CbE9bzVaAZoDYC01IL3ijec0uqRGuzfv1v-Vkyotd4xYXRSvauZqRlwXI0vexPtHgKhhmcfcvddqMXMOWMukPWDbCrJbh5VItb43QvnMX8gvyPt5Rum55OvJ-SPSpWZ/s320/VBCI%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Project also participated in a brainstorming session
organised by Cerebral Palsy Africa through the Salvation Army to come up with a
manual that will serve as a guide to healthcare workers in various health
facilities <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project worked with the Ghana Education Service through
the La Nkwantanang Municipal office to support the Inclusion of children with
Cerebral palsy and other special needs in schools. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Caregiving </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In year 2022, the Special Mothers Project advocacy also
worked towards getting people especially the youth to change their mindsets
about Caregiving and to see it as a profession or career path that should be
pursued.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That is why, Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the
Special Mothers Project,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spoke about
respite when given the platform to speak on the Autism GH platform <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project started discussions with the Youth Employment
Agency to see how the Government’s Health Care Assistant programme could be
tailored to include training the health care assistants to work as caregivers
at the household level to support families with children who have special
needs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project participated in the Launch of a
project by Beautiful Life Foundation which aimed at giving financial aid to
selected families with children with Cerebral palsy and other disabilities. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project also participated in The Family
Day out programme organised by the Down Syndrome Ghana group. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Way forward </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers Project will continue the Advocacy path
in 2023<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our Advocacy for 2023 will focus on changing the mindsets of
especially the youth about caregiving. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project will continue to bring to the fore issues that
affects individual families and general issues that most families raising
children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities grapple with.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project will continue to give practical policy
suggestions to government, policy makers and other stakeholders to ensure the
formulation of inclusive policies and programmes that enhances the lives of
children with Cerebral palsy or special needs and their families. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Special Mothers project will also continue to engage
stakeholders on especially cerebral palsy issues and largely disability issues
with the aim of fostering inclusion at all levels<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>The Special Mothers Project has decided not to solicit funds
for individual families, however we have succeeded in connecting a few individuals’
families to philanthropists who support them directly on a regular basis</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>The Special Mothers Project is yearning for a consistent and
regular media platform, preferably radio or TV to help us engage Ghanaians on a
regular and consistent basis issues that affects children with Cerebral palsy
and their families. Funding for this has been the major challenge</b></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A consistent and regular advocacy platform, we believe will
help people to understand the issues, empathize, help us court support and
ultimately drive policy change. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Appreciation </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your support on social media and the individual support has
been tremendous, the project couldn't have been here without your support. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let me mention a few names, even at the risk of leaving some
out or forgetting some people <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr Eben Afarikumah,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mrs Patience Agyare- Ashie, Kampkpay outfitters and every single
individual that has supported the project to this far God bless you abundantly<o:p></o:p></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-32380600087498093172022-12-18T08:13:00.003-08:002022-12-22T00:53:15.183-08:00Boy with ADHD dies in manhole, case in court.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbniSKjrPhkE-Qz3Qbx4MgFfLDOBXyFG9kO86JTGxT1tfM9E_AezEmmBrLCxYrx_tty3bDGRuu2MazIT4qu3tHbLBMrT8fENkPVBK0Fl_ZL70_qItDT5RMc_0hxWQoO9KhBxq8y6pkkmvP36vBCjojmDHqdONtLzYTF6mjZYO5MPfFZv8BQsMaVQQG/s720/ADHD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbniSKjrPhkE-Qz3Qbx4MgFfLDOBXyFG9kO86JTGxT1tfM9E_AezEmmBrLCxYrx_tty3bDGRuu2MazIT4qu3tHbLBMrT8fENkPVBK0Fl_ZL70_qItDT5RMc_0hxWQoO9KhBxq8y6pkkmvP36vBCjojmDHqdONtLzYTF6mjZYO5MPfFZv8BQsMaVQQG/s320/ADHD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The case of a three-year-old boy diagnosed with Attention Deficit
Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) who fell into a manhole on a school compound and
died will be heard in court on the 21st of March 2023<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The boy, Philbert Willoughby died in a manhole (Sewer) just
one week after he was enrolled in school.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A police report cited by the Special Mothers Project, said,
Philbert was enrolled at Asher Montessori school in Weija somewhere in May
2021, after the school had demanded a medical report on the boy’s condition.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The report said the school accepted the child on condition
that the mother will pay an extra GHS200 every month to cater for a caregiver
provided by the school since the child needed special care and attention which
the parents complied.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It said on the 24<sup>th</sup> of May 2021, the mother of
Philbert sent him to school at about 9.00am, the caretaker of the child served
him with vitamilk (a soy milk drink) after which she went ahead to attend to other children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The caretaker after some time realized that Philbert was not
in the class and went out to search for him but couldn’t find him so she
informed other teachers who mounted a search for him, but they could not find
him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Realizing that the school’s main gate has been locked they
were convinced that he will be within the school’s premises.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Later, one of the teachers called Ted Dumakor, the proprietor’s
brother came with the child and informed them that he found him in a manhole
and brought him out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The report said they rushed him to the Weija/ Gbawe Municipal
hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">A lawyer from the Legal Aid Office who is pursuing the case said the police is still investigating the issue.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(240, 244, 245); color: #212b32; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) is </span><span style="background: white;">one of the most common </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">neurodevelopmental</span></em><i><span style="background: white;"> </span></i><span style="background: white;">disorders of childhood.
Children with ADHD may have trouble
paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking
about what the result will be), or be overly active.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><i><b>The Special Mothers Project is an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues and issues affecting families raising children with disabilities</b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-36655244131100474952022-11-17T01:44:00.001-08:002022-11-17T01:44:18.712-08:00La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Education office engages stakeholders on GEOP<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZaOaNS5cPQ70KEON9Y6OWM7jRsRFIosCGVce7qEJd2yxP6dHa85WhJMsCsH8mYUywkCq6fdXkMdNXHW8UbAW368gCeMVxvqGPGJb_mUxdfwdQ_uSPQ4ywynvVV1kHQus0kJyumkpaYXlpcg8-FovZ0bQAAkcnYKtVmMAqpcPamuT9I_4R8n5SKKp/s1080/GEOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZaOaNS5cPQ70KEON9Y6OWM7jRsRFIosCGVce7qEJd2yxP6dHa85WhJMsCsH8mYUywkCq6fdXkMdNXHW8UbAW368gCeMVxvqGPGJb_mUxdfwdQ_uSPQ4ywynvVV1kHQus0kJyumkpaYXlpcg8-FovZ0bQAAkcnYKtVmMAqpcPamuT9I_4R8n5SKKp/s320/GEOP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The La-Nkwantanang
Madina Municpal Education office has engaged stakeholders on a programme that
seeks to reintegrate out of school children into the educational system.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Under the
project, the Ghana Education Service will through its implementing agency
train, re-integrate and retain out-of-school children in the 600 plus beneficiary
schools as well as improve learning gain/outcomes in these schools<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Project,
Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) stems out of the Ghana Accountability
for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP), a five-year project with the objective
to improve the quality of education in low-performing basic education schools
and strengthen education sector equity and accountability in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ms Amelia
Dzifa Atiegar, Public Relations Officer of La-Nkwantanang municipal of
education who briefed stakeholders on GEOP said existing data from the Ghana
Statistical Service on the number of out-of-school children in the country
(2010/20 Census) indicate a </span>high prevalence of out-of-school children. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“The need to follow the successes chalked from the
Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme by Ghana Education Service which
resulted in over 200,000 children going back to school,” she said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She said
that over the years, Ghana has made significant progress in improving learning
outcomes in schools and getting children back into schools through policy
direction.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However, existing
data from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (USI, 2020) indicates that, for
Primary (6-11 years) - 283,000 are out-of-school.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">135,000 are
out-of-school, for Lower Secondary (12-14 years) and 610,000 are out-of-school
for Upper secondary (15-17 years) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ms Atiegar
said out of school children, identified as part of the project would be
accessed and given technical and vocational training for a period and based on
their performance some will be integrated into mainstream education <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She said
the re-integrating out-of-school children (OOSC), is built on the success of
the Complimentary Basic Education (CBE) programme and expanding it to
incentivise learning and retention<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The project
is being implemented in 29 Metropolitan, Municipal & District Assemblies
(MMDAs) including the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The regions
benefitting from the project are Northern, Northeast, Savannah, Bono East, Oti,
Greater Accra, and Ashanti Regions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076827494150920574.post-43064731857124405202022-10-04T05:51:00.000-07:002022-10-04T05:51:00.652-07:00Ghana joins the world to mark World CP Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGBLbkUogF8q84-1OE2xXsG6YhQ3JRq-W8as7po3ajqorN8vJ6NbKs6zIF3aodrbDKnPxlWLxXvbUh8MyXeaaGjbTUuhgnDULni8hdC6LjVahfuuK0ZZOE_R3WXSMEiCqB7YDh9Nh2TDAoTArxvyt-hBCDZC1Am13Ngh4rPqI-qRtnUkWP0QJBINF/s720/world%20CP%20Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGBLbkUogF8q84-1OE2xXsG6YhQ3JRq-W8as7po3ajqorN8vJ6NbKs6zIF3aodrbDKnPxlWLxXvbUh8MyXeaaGjbTUuhgnDULni8hdC6LjVahfuuK0ZZOE_R3WXSMEiCqB7YDh9Nh2TDAoTArxvyt-hBCDZC1Am13Ngh4rPqI-qRtnUkWP0QJBINF/s320/world%20CP%20Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ghana will join the world to observe
World CP Day on Thursday, 6</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> October, 2022</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">World CP Day is used <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">to celebrate and
support those living with cerebral palsy, embrace diversity and to help create
a more accessible future for everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“There
are over 1 billion people around the world who live with a disability. Yet we
still navigate a world that is not designed to be accessible,” the World CP Day
Organisation says.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that
affects the movement and sometimes the speech of a person. It is considered the
number one cause of disability in childhood<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are more than 17
million people across the world living with cerebral palsy. Another 350 million
people are closely connected to a child or adult with cerebral palsy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the most common physical disability in
childhood. Cerebral palsy is a permanent disability that affects movement. Its
impact can range from a weakness in one hand, to almost a complete lack of
voluntary movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is a complex
disability: 1 in 4 children with cerebral palsy cannot talk, 1 in 4 cannot walk,
1 in 2 have an intellectual disability, 1 in 4 have epilepsy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cerebral palsy is a
lifelong disability and there is no known cure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; padding: 0in;">Cerebral palsy is one of the least understood
disabilities and people with cerebral palsy </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">are often out of sight, out of mind and out of options in
communities around the world. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; padding: 0in;">In Ghana, members of the Special Mothers Project,
an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues will take
to social media to educate the public about cerebral palsy and the need for
government to formulate policies that supports children with cerebral palsy and
their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; padding: 0in;">The Centre for Learning and Childhood
Disabilities (CLCD) will also organise a free health screening exercise for
children with cerebral palsy on the 8<sup>th</sup> of October to mark the day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; padding: 0in;">Cerebral Palsy Awareness, another organization championing
CP issues will celebrate the day with families at the Shai-Osudoku Health
Directorate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">World Cerebral Palsy Day on 6
October was created by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in 2012 and now brings
together people living with cerebral palsy, their families, allies, supporters
and organisations across more than 100 countries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The aim to ensure a future in which
children and adults with cerebral palsy have the same rights, access and
opportunities as anyone else in our society.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The theme for the celebration is:
Millions of Reasons</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Hannah Awadzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02253947296105785768noreply@blogger.com0