A non-governmental organization – Trade and Universal Development Co-operation (TUDEC), has donated some wheelchairs to support the mobility of 15 people living with disability in two Municipal Assemblies in the Greater Accra region, they are the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly and the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly.
The presentation forms part of activities marking the 10 years anniversary of TUDEC which is made up of seasoned businessmen from Ghana and Turkey.
At a brief presentation ceremony at the premises of Galaxy International School on Saturday, the Public Relations Manager of the school, Cafer Tepeli, who is also a leading member of TUDEC remarked that after 10 years of its operations in Ghana, they have found it necessary to give back to society. The presentation of wheelchairs to Persons Living with Disability (PWDs) is therefore part of their initiatives of giving relief to them.
“We take mobility for granted – a basic right so many people have never experienced either by a natural cause or through an accident. You will be shocked to know that over one hundred million people worldwide lack mobility.
“Without a wheelchair, their options are limited in ways beyond our comprehension. Without these some have to crawl or be carried everywhere they go,” Tefeli stated.
He urged the beneficiaries of the wheelchairs to ensure its proper maintenance so it can last its full life span.
On behalf of the beneficiary institutions, president of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD) in the Greater Accra Region, Abdul-Razak Yusif, who is also the Senior Social Development Officer at the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly; and his colleague, Husena Saydee Ibrahim from the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, expressed delight at the gesture and said it will go a long way to give relief to their members. While urging other institutions and individuals to emulate the kind example of TUDEC, they also pleaded for scholarship opportunities for their brilliant but needy children to enable them to also climb up the academic ladder and become responsible citizens.
“Employments for persons with disability are not common, and it makes living conditions very difficult for us. It is our wish and hope that the management of TUDEC will consider some scholarship opportunities for our children. PWDs also have children; some of them are very brilliant. That is why we want to plead with you to also consider some sponsorship package for us,” they pleaded in their statement.
They said the donation means a lot to them individually and as an association because “wheelchairs add up to accessibility and mobility. It will cut down on our cost of transportation and make us live a more responsible life. This donation is very important to us and we are grateful to TUDEC.”
A security expert, Ibard Ibrahim, who facilitated the move between TUDEC and the Assemblies, told ghananewsonline.com.gh that the beneficiaries were selected by the respective assemblies out of their database of PWDs in need of such facilities.
TUDEC was founded in Accra in June 2011 for charitable, educational, scientific and cultural purposes. It has the vision to embrace humanity irrespective of race, gender colour or religious affiliation while helping to eradicate the three main problems facing humanity including ignorance, poverty and internal disunity.
The organization has been specifically designed to assist individuals of all ages with any kind of aid they may require to change their lives and to celebrate humanity.
Among its objectives, TUDEC aims to regularly organize charitable donations for people in society; organize support for educational development in Ghana; organize support for social amenities such as hospitals and boreholes; organize dialogue and intercultural activities to bring communities together and also set up training centers.
By Jeorge Wilson Kingson || ghananewsonline.com.gh
