Joberg Foundation donates house to mother of autistic child
A single parent and mother of a child suffering from autism, Bernice Amoah, has received a free one-bedroom house from Joberg Foundation, the charity arm of Joberg Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian construction company.
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Ms Amoah, who hawks on the street selling sachet water, and lived in a rundown wooden structure (kiosk) with her daughter, was last Saturday presented with the keys to the house at Katamanso in the Kpone Katamanso municipality in the Greater Accra Region
The house comes with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, porch and fully installed solar panels, as well as a spacious compound.
This is the third time Joberg Foundation has donated houses to the vulnerable, with the previous ones going out to two widows.
The donation is an initiative by Joberg Foundation to support the homeless, poor, vulnerable but hard working people with free houses.
Tears of joy
Ms Amoah, who was at the presentation ceremony with her 12-year–old daughter suffering from autism, could not control her tears as she knelt and profusely thanked the management of Joberg Ghana Limited and Joberg Foundation for the gesture.
She told the media that life had been hell for her especially after she gave birth to her daughter, with her family members rejecting the child.
“I live in a kiosk with my child. My family members said my daughter was a marine spirit so they have decided not to help me.
Because of her condition, I virtually do everything for her, but I have no choice but to go out every day in order to sell sachet water to feed her,” she said.
On how she was chosen for the donation, she said the Founder of Klicks Africa Foundation (an NGO that supports autistic children), Mary Kufuor, heard about the initiative by Joberg and applied for her.
“God bless Joberg Foundation and Joberg Ghana Limited for changing my life for good.
This is beyond my expectations,” she said.
Motivation
The Chief Executive Officer of Joberg Ghana Limited, Joseph Magnus Martey Marteye, said he was motivated to help the vulnerable with free houses due to the cost and other difficulties associated with housing.
According to him, as a successful real estate company that had constructed and sold many residential homes in many prime areas in Accra, Joberg Ghana Limited deemed it fit to give back to society and support those in need with free houses.
“If the middle class are having difficulties with rent and getting their own houses, then you can imagine what those at the lower level of society are going through,” he said.
He said the free housing was targeted at very vulnerable but working people who earned around GH¢500 a month and lived in deplorable conditions or could not afford to rent a house.
“To qualify, the person must be working, it does not necessarily have to be a formal job, but you must be doing something to earn some form of living.
It could be hawking, trading or any legitimate work that gives you some form of income.
With such efforts, we will then come in with the support when necessary,” he said.
Writer’s email: [email protected]
