Accra, Dec. 30, The Samuel Amo (SA) Tobbin Foundation, formerly the Tobinco Foundation, donated assorted items to children with cerebral palsy and organised a party to celebrate the Christmas festivity with them.
The party was organised by the Foundation in collaboration with the Givers Never Lack (GNL) Foundation on December 23, 2016 at Weija.
The more than GHȼ 20,000.00 worth donated items, which included bags of diapers, toilet roll, detergent, packs of drinks, Christmas souvenirs, boxes of potable water and packs of cooked food were donated in response to requests made by the beneficiaries through the GNL Foundation.
Mrs Millicent Akoto, Executive Director of the SA Tobbin Foundation said even though the GNL Foundation requested for only some items to be donated to them, they decided to throw a party for the patients and their caretakers to make them celebrate the Christmas festivity with the general public.
Speaking to the caregivers, Mrs Akoto said: “Our Foundation was told you need diapers, T-rolls, and detergents. Therefore we have brought all these items to be shared among you to reduce the financial constraints purchasing of these items due to your children’s situation sometimes put on you”.
She advised them not to feel ashamed to go to public places with their children with the condition, adding that how people would see them depends on how their caretakers treat them at every environment.
“I know of a person with cerebral palsy who is now the Chief Executive Officer of an organisation in the country, therefore having this condition doesn’t mean your children are useless and hopeless because when you take good care of them, they will make you smile one day,” she said.
Mr Edward Amankwaa, Founder of the GNL Foundation who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the SA Tobbin Foundation for heeding to their call when they approached them.
“Sincerely, the Samuel Amo Tobbin Foundation has surprised us because even though we have received donated items from other bodies, they are not as much as these and we will forever be grateful to you,” he said.
Sharing his experience at the party grounds, he said: “I developed special interest in the lives of children with cerebral palsy when I gave birth to one and he was seen as a child of a bad spirit or child from the waters by people in the society and therefore mistreated by them”.
He said that made him feel what other children with the condition and their parents are going through, hence the establishment of the Foundation to solicit for support for the patients and create awareness about the disorder.
Mr Amankwaa told the caretakers to treat their children with special attention and love if they want to know their worth.
Some of the caregivers sharing their experiences said it even got to a point in life when they wanted to give up by wishing that their children die so they become free because they were going through a lot of societal torture and financial problems.
Others also said their spouses took to their heels when they gave birth to such children because they became the talk of their residencies, adding that the advice from the two Foundations as well as the financial and material support had made them have a sense of hope and love for their children again.