School for Children with Special Needs in Kpando, Ghana
One thing you should know about special needs and disabilities in Ghana is that it is highly stigmatized. One widely held belief is that those who are disabled are so because of demonic powers and evil spirits. Therefore it is common for children who have special needs to go without care and to be outcasted by the community. It is even more common for these children to not have access to an education.
Faculty and students.
They were excited about their new ball. The boy on the far left is called Coach because he is so passionate about soccer.
Playing with bubbles!
There is a wonderful special needs school in Kpando, started by a man whose daughter had special needs. As the school expanded, the government saw he was doing a good job and began to fund the project. The have great facilities- a nice building, a playground, a well-trained and caring staff, and they even provide lunch (for some children this will be the only food they have all day).
They used to serve 50-60 children. Now they serve less than ten. What happened?
The bus broke down.
Something so simple, but the road to the school is rough and it is impossible for most of these children to walk there everyday. Another option would be to make the school a boarding school, but they are waiting on beds (and have been waiting for three years!) So all these facilities are there, ready to go, but the children are unable to access them. Because there is no bus.
This is yet another situation where a piece of the puzzle is missing. A crucial piece.
After I left the school I met a lot of children who need these services. Children who can't walk, children who are mute, children who were so abused that at 14 years old they look like they are only five or six... It is heartbreaking.
Here are some pictures from my time spent at the special needs school in Kpando:
**PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING IN GHANA, WEST AFRICA:
Communities like Kpando have a great need for those trained in occupational and physical therapy. There are children who, after just a few months of physical therapy, became able to walk for the first time, forever changing their lives. All because a physical therapist took just a few months out of his life.
If you are a physical or occupational therapist and you are genuinely interested in volunteering in Kpando, contact me at krschepp@gmail.com and I will connect you to the right people. Thank you!
