9 CSOs receive support for disability programme
The Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, a four-year programme that focuses on mental health, has awarded grants to nine civil society organisations (CSOs) to promote mental health and disability-inclusion in the country.
The CSOs include the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Hope For Future Generation (HFFG), SANGTABA, Voice of People with Disability (Voice-Ghana), ABAK Foundation (ABAK), Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development (CALID).
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The rest are Centre for People’s Empowerment and Rights Initiatives (CPRI), Foundation for Community Empowerment Programme (FOCEP) and Global Action for Women Empowerment (GLOWA).
Out of the nine organisations, four will receive large grants of up to GH¢600,000 each year for three years, while the remaining five will receive small grants of up to GH¢600,000 each for 12 months.
The programme, which is in its second year, is being funded by the United Kingdom government through the UK Aid.
Launch
At a ceremony to announce the recipients, the team leader of the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, Ms Lydia Adwan-Kamara, explained that the funding support for disability and mental health was in line with calls in the country for better disability inclusion and greater investment in mental health.
“The new grants is expected to support in removing the barriers, which prevent people with disabilities, including people with mental health conditions, from reaching their full potential,” she said.
The awardees, she said, were expected to provide support and empower persons with disability, including mental health disabilities, to participate fully in their communities and have their voices heard and incorporated in policies and programmes that affected them directly.
Inclusion
The Social Development Advisor of the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), a supporting partner of the programme, Ms Susan Adjoa Mensah, said there was a need for the inclusion of people with disability for the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nation (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), adding that “the UK has a strong track record on leaving no one behind, and is a global leader on disability inclusion and mental health”.
Ms Mensah further called on the government to increase investment and secure sustainable funding for mental health.
She said there was the need for government to scale up quality mental health services at the community level, while combating stigma and discrimination against people with mental health conditions.
Gratitude
The Executive Director of Voice Ghana, Mr Francis Asong, expressed gratitude for the funding support.
“We promise to use our various grants for the intended purpose, and commit to value for money principles in our practices and dealings.
“We shall learn and share among ourselves to better implement and sustain our projects for the benefit of people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities,” he said.