SpreadLove Home & Abroad as part of its mandate to include Person’s with Disability(PWDs) in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals has equipped 5 PWDs children to progress in education.
They will as well be set up in a project dubbed ‘No One Shall Be Left Out’.
The project, which was supported by the Danish International Development Agency was on the theme, ‘Mainstreaming Disability Issues: Engaging Decision Makers and Relevant Stakeholders’, recorded participation from the education ministry, traditional authorities, fire service, social welfare amongst others at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf & Blind in the Central Region.
Three students with visual impairment from the National Basic Inclusive School, Cape Coast, and one with hearing impairment from the Demonstration School for the Deaf, Ekuapem were awarded as best participants in the SpreadLove Disability Writing Competition organised by SpreadLove Home & Abroad in collaboration with Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations. They went home with cash prizes ranging from Ghc200 to Ghc500.
The writing competition was on “Three Ways the Ministry of Education Could SpreadLove to Pupils with Disability”.
Charlotte Appiah a graduate from Brewa Vocational Institute who was identified in a TV3 bulletin with physical disability appealing for funds to set up after school also received a sewing machine, tools and Ghc500 to set up her business.
The organisation also introduced other children with visual impairment to join a beneficiary, Christian Morgan, to demystify misconceptions associated with their disabilities through their talents.
Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wireko-Brobby speaking at the event proposed that names of schools for pupils with special needs be captured in attractive way so as not to send derogatory message to the society.
The minister proposed that the name of the school, School for the Deaf & Blind, should be changed.
“I think it sends a derogatory situation aligning to the name, if it is possible the headmaster should start discussion with stakeholders if we can have a name befitting what it does. For instance school for pupils with special needs.”
He re-emphasised the coordination his ministry is doing to mainstream employment of PWDs.
Headmaster of the school Setumte Ametewe stressed on the unfriendly environment of the compound amongst other challenges and called on stakeholders to come to their aid.
Carithers Tetteh, a law student at the University of Cape Coast who lives with visual impairment, also took turn to encourage the children never to give up on their dreams.
President of SpreadLove Frederick Omenako urged stakeholders to support the organization as they plan to execute other projects in the pipe line which aim to champion the cause of PWDs.
The founder Spencer Kwabena Boateng Mensah also indicated that the organisation will continue to equip and bring on board PWDs to contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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