Blind women learn employable skills
More than 80 blind and partially sighted women through out the country have been trained in employable skills to help them lead economically independent lives.
Madam Cecelia Bartholomew, National President of the women’s wing of the Ghana Blind Union, said the beneficiaries were trained in powder and soap-making, edible oil extraction and manufacturing of body creams.
She said the union was also providing them with business support funds.
Madam Bartholomew, who addressed the opening session of a forum organised by the wing in Kumasi for its members’, said the project tied in with their goal of improving the lot of the blind.
She said apart from skills acquisition, the members were being exposed to leadership and advocacy training.
The forum was on the theme: “Inclusion of the blind and partially sighted women and girls in mainstream society, the role of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs.”
Madam Bartholomew said the wing was in close partnership with other women groups and organisations, locally and internationally and singled out the Danish Blind Women for commendation for its invaluable support.
She appealed to the Women and Children’s Ministry to create a special desk to address the peculiar needs and aspirations of women with disabilities.
The Acting Ashanti Regional Director of the Department of Women, Mrs Augustina Gyamfi, said Government was doing everything possible to fully integrate the visually impaired and the physically challenged into the society.
She said it was for this reason that the Constitutional Review Committee met officials of the department and sought their views on the relevant amendments they would want to be made to the 1992 Constitution to serve the course.
She identified discrimination, neglect and insensitivity to the blind among the many challenges they faced.
Mrs Gyamfi said it was time society corrected the misconceptions about physical disability.
“Collectively and with renewed positive attitude, we must mobilise resources to find ability in disability,” she stressed.
Source: GNA