It has been a long-held dream of Family First to have a greater production of specialist equipment in Kumasi for children with special needs. By producing equipment locally there would be a greater accessibility at a more affordable price for families, rather than relying on equipment being shipped from other countries.
Over the past couple months, we have been working with Doctors, orthotists and physiotherapists to make specialist devices for Serwaah, Esther and Pearl, 3 of the children that we work with who have Cerebral Palsy. In order to ensure that children access the correct equipment for their individual needs and their stages of development it is important that they have access to a multi-disciplinary team. Our physiotherapist advised that each child would benefit from standing frames to improve their posture and ability to bear weight for standing education. We also had a referral to rehabilitation clinic, where the Doctor of Family Medicine, who is extremely passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities, advised on AFO’s (Ankle Foot Orthoses) that each child would benefit from. Serwaah, Esther and Pearl were each measured, and work was in progress.
I was lucky enough to be a part of the girls receiving their specialist equipment last week, and yesterday we visited them at home. It is so amazing to see their excitement when they are able to stand alone. The standing frames include a table so that they can stand and play or draw or work on self-feeding. Last week, our physiotherapist spent the day training the families on how to use this equipment to aid the development of their children. With the combination of this equipment and regular physiotherapy we are excited to watch their physical ability thrive.
Children with special needs often need a combination of therapies and assistive devices to enable them to meet their full potential, these are commonly not available in Kumasi and therefore children with special needs are not given opportunities to thrive. Family First are working alongside Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to break down these barriers for families who have children with special needs.
Tomorrow I am meeting with the founder of Bamboo Wheelchairs to look further into this project. Bamboo is a material that is readily available in Ghana and is extremely strong, this could be a great resource to make equipment affordable to families. Family First are so excited by the advancements made in the production of equipment and cannot wait to keep progressing.
Next up – Making Sensory Equipment in Kumasi 😊
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