NGO supports mothers of cerebral palsy children
Women of Love Ministry, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that aims at empowering women to be entrepreneurs, has supported two women with equipment to start working to earn a living.
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The beneficiaries, Ms Rebecca Agama, a seamstress and a mother of a child with cerebral palsy, was supported with a sewing machine, while Ms Rosemary Ladzi was supported with a water tank to enable her to sell water to her community members.
Other mothers of cerebral palsy children were each given a bag of rice and a bottle of oil as a form of support.
Gift from God
The Director of the Ministry, Mrs Gloria Yeboah-Botwe, who made the presentation at a ceremony at Dodowa, said like other children with normal conditions, those with cerebral palsy were also a gift from God.
“Your children have the spirit of God in them, they were also created in the image of God so do not look down on them or belittle yourselves. You will be amazed if God revealed His purpose for your children to you,” she advised the women.
Mrs Yeboah-Botwe said her organisation was ready to train mothers who had given birth to children with cerebral palsy in various vocational skills for free and also help them with start-up capital to enable them to earn a living to be able to take good care of their children.
The mothers, who used the occasion to share their challenges and also encouraged themselves, expressed appreciation to the Women of Love Ministry for the kind gesture and urged other organisations to emulate its example.
Sharing her experience, Ms Ladzi said she had been frustrated to the point of poisoning herself but she was thankful she did not resort to that act.
Ms Agama said her association with other mothers through an international Christian development organisation, known as CBM, had been very helpful.
CBM’s project
“Even though I have had challenges even with sending my child to school,the CBM’s project has been my biggest source of encouragement to keep me going,” she said.
The CBM, in collaboration with the International Centre for Evidence in Disability of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Ghana (UG), initiated a research to evaluate the impact of a community-based parent training programme for parents of children with cerebral palsy in Ghana.
The project, being implemented through the health directorate of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, brought together groups of 10 -15 parents or caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and provided them with training.
Knowledge and skills
Mrs Jedidiah Abanga, an official of the Presbyterian Church Health directorate, explained that the programme aimed to increase knowledge and skills in caring for a child with cerebral palsy, adding it promotes a participatory learning approach with emphasis on the empowerment of parents and caregivers.
Mr Anthony Adaboe, a Special Needs Educator and leader of one of such groups at Dodowa, said many of the mothers have gained enormous benefits since the start of the project.
As part of the project, a group of health professionals including physiotherapists, nutritionists, pediatricians and other health officials visit the mothers at home periodically, while monthly meetings are also held to teach the group.
The project, among other objectives, is also exploring how caregivers can be empowered and how that impacts upon the care of their children.