DIFFERENT ABILITY IS NOT INABILITY : WORKING WITH THE DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND
My interaction with the deaf, dumb and blind pupils and students has enforced the message that those of us without any or with minor physical challenges, may or may not have enough excuse for not trying to do something with our God given talents.
Years gone by, babies born with forms of disabilities were regarded in the Ghanaian society to be the result of curses, punishment by the gods or the consequence of breaking of some taboos by parents. It is said in some cases, that many of such children were disposed of immediately after birth in the most ignoble, cruel and horrible manner. Some suffer outright abandonment by their parents. In some instances, the child if not killed outright, their families suffered societal stigmatization. We hear such disabled persons, if they survived at all, were regarded as outcasts and ostracized from their communities. The thinking was that such persons would only live to be a liability to their families and the society. It was completely out of question to consider bringing up, educating and training any such physically challenged persons.
Nowadays we know such societal attitudes are changing albeit at a snail pace. Presently, only few institutions in the country tend to carter for the needs of these physically challenged persons. One such place is Demonstration School for the Deaf, Mampong Akuapem (DEMODEAF) presently under the headship of Ms. Regina Danquah.
Centrally located on the campus of DEMODEAF is the DEAFBLIND Department. Pupils in the DEAFBLIND Department are challenged in three major ways namely vision wise (blind), hearing wise (deaf) and speech wise (dumb) Any teacher will tell you that teaching a normal child with all his/her senses intact is quite a difficult task. Therefore, taking up the job of teaching a child who cannot see properly (or not at all), neither can he/she hear nor be able to talk is a daunting task indeed. To my mind, it requires more than just the training and skills a teacher acquired in training college. Teaching such persons, I believe requires lots and lots of patience, commitment, tenacity of purpose, a real positive attitude to life and above all deep love for these special children in particular and humanity in general. I find these qualities in the person of Ms. Nina Akourkor Afotu, the head of the special DEAFBLIND Department and her staff.
Beyond the desire to educate their pupils, they want to equip them with vocational skills for a living. They want these special ones to come out of school equipped to lead independent and fruitful lives. The expectation is that imparting some vocational skills to them would go a long way to empower them socially and economically after leaving school. The idea is that they would be assets and never liabilities to their families, their communities, the society and our nation Ghana.
Meanwhile in the past few years, Mampong Akuapem YMCA has embarked on a crusade in the community to let inhabitants realize the mess that indiscriminate littering of empty water sachets cause to our surroundings. The YMCA, very much concerned about climate change, environmental degradation and sanitation has been drawing attention to the fact that these empty water sachets can be collected and reused in so many ways. Making of carrier bags, dust covers for computers, costume for dancing troupes, rain coats etc. are but a few of what this ‘waste’ can be used for.
Madame Nina Akuorkor Afotu discussed with me the possibility of a collaboration between the YMCA and the DEAFBLIND department in teaching these special pupils the reuse of these ‘waste’ plastics. At first I thought this might be a mission impossible. However on second thoughts, we decided to put our shoulders to the wheel. Sometime last year we started working with these pupils who I choose to affectionately call ‘special dear ones’. I have been amazed at the progress we have made so far.
Presently Sharon, one of the girls with some assistance, can use a sewing machine to put plastic pieces together and might soon be able to sew a carrier bag for herself. Asante Boateng is another wonderful young man. He is totally blind, deaf and dumb but one would be delighted to see him in action threading a needle with his tongue. To me this is one the wonders of God. His teachers say he does his own washing. One would also be amazed at some of the beautiful handicrafts that the pupils and students of this department have been able to make.
Interacting and working with these pupils of the DEAFBLIND Department should give anyone the meaning of the cliché ‘disability is not inability’. We would encourage the general Ghanaian populace to visit this school. These special pupils are proving that the impossible can be possible if one is well determined.
The efforts of the Department and the Local YMCA are meant to prevent such persons from being beggars on our streets. They need every encouragement and support, material and/or financial to be able to acquire such skills so as to live useful independent lives. We believe NGOs, the National Secretariat of YMCA, philanthropists, government agencies, concerned citizens etc would take this opportunity to reach out to these groups of people.
By Fred Ohene, Eastern Regional Chairman
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My interaction with the deaf, dumb and blind pupils and students has enforced the message that those of us without any or with minor physical challenges, may or may not have enough excuse for not trying to do something with our God given talents.
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