On the 23rd of July 2022 De pull-up foundation held their maiden project of the year dubbed ”a Time with the special children “
The location for this program was in the eastern region Nsawam.
Nsawam is a town in south Ghana and is the capital of the Nsawam-Adoagyire Municipal District, a district in the Eastern Region of south Ghana. It’s a one and a half hour drive from our location.
The venue was the Orthopedic Training Centre (OTC) a non-profit organisation whose mission is enabling the handicapped in Ghana, mainly children, to gain independent and productive lives.
The OTC was started by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1961, founded by Brother Tarcisius de Ruyter (SVD). The primary purpose of the Centre is the rehabilitation of the physically challenged in Ghana and West Africa.
Located in Nsawam, about 40 km from Accra the capital city from Ghana, the Centre consists of an orthopedic clinic & workshop, a children’s department and the prosthetics and orthopedic training college. A mobile orthopedic unit also tours the country on a regular basis providing support to those unable to visit the Centre. Over 6000 people a year, mainly children, are helped at the Centre or receive the help they need from the mobile orthopedic unit. The OTC currently has a full-time staff of 68 people, is all dedicated to make the OTC a place of hope for those who are physically challenged.
Upon arrival, we were welcomed by the neatly trimmed edges and cleanly kept environment. The center is so serene you could feel fresh breeze on your skin. A team of wonderful administrated welcomed us and led us to our event Centre. We met beautiful and handsome children, who were so full of life. We had one of the directors by name Sister Elizabeth Newman (SSND) | Director Educator and administrator one who has over 25 years’ experience in Ghana. Committed to improving the lives of the physically challenged and dedicated to helping each child reach their highest potential. Has been with the OTC since 1975.
Responsible for the day to day management of the OTC and fundraising. She gave us the biography of the school and demographics. Mr Eli helped us run the program after that. We prayed with kids and heard various stories about how some of them ended up at the center.Some of the situations were purely natural,other were due to human errors during birth eg a delay of a health practitioner during child birth led to lack of enough oxygen entering a child’s brain hence causing a medical situation such as cerebral palsy. We realized in awe a situation of a nine year old child who condition was due to her relative dipping her 2 hands in boiling water for suspected attitude the children committed. The relation has hence been prosecuted and serving her term at nsawam prisons.
Sis Elizabeth explained all the services tended by the facility. Some of the children she stated are permanently with them, whilst others move out after being adequately treated. Our interaction with the children was so heart warming and gave us hope. They shared their future aspirations with us and their positivity was unmatched.
We further gave each children brand new items for school (bags, water bottles, books, pencils etc) After which we gave them hot delicious meals (Jollof rice and chicken,rice and stew with salad and noddles)these delicious meal was extended to adult section as well. We finally handed over a lot of items to the school administration which included: Stationeries, provisions, toiletries and water.
It was a pleasant program and would wish to go back to assist them again this time with funds donation inclusive.
