The Anopa Project, an NGO championing development through sports, has launched a three-year project to harness the potentials of differently-abled persons from three special schools in the Greater Accra and Central Regions. The project seeks to hone the talent of visually impaired, sighted and children with Intellectual or Development Disabilities (IDDs) through infrastructure enhancement, inclusive education, vocational training, and sports on need basis. The beneficiary schools are the Ghana National Basic Inclusive School and Aboom Special School both in Cape Coast and the Dzorwulu Special School in Accra. Funded by the RYTHM Foundation, the schools will see renovations to improve teaching and learning, scholarships for students, active enrolments, and skills development. The Anopa Project also inaugurated Ghana's first deaf swimming club, and a team of bakers made of children with IDDs. Mr Ernest Appiah, Executive Director, Anopa Project, said the compound of the Ghana National Basic Inclusive School will be resurfaced to make the environment safer for the students. Other projects included enhancement of the classrooms, provision of assistive technologies, a mini library, scholarships for deprived students, training workshops for teachers and sport festivals. For the Aboom Special School, assistive technology devices, wheelchairs and therapeutic footwear will be provided while the compound resurfaced, classrooms upgraded, potable water facility, scholarships, as well as baking and confectionery training given the students. Other projects are skills training in pottery, soap making and other vocational skills for the Dzorwulu Special School. He touted the achievements of the Project for the past 14 years, saying more than 3,200 kids have been enrolled back to school with many awards won in the past, and expressed gratitude to the RHYTHM Foundation for its continuous support. 'We have been able to enrol and intercede for deaf and blind children from 2021,' he stated and pledged that as implementors of the project, they will ensure that the dreams of the challenged children came to pass. Madam Mary Prudence Osei, Headteacher of Aboom School for Special Needs, sharing her experience about the project over the years, noted that the sports component had improved enrolment in the school. Mr Abugri Wilson Adiebo, Headteacher of the Cape School for the Deaf and Blind, also shared how the Project had lifted sporting activities in the school and commended the implementers for the support. A parent with a differently abled child, Madam Lucy Fosuwaa, urged parents to treat their challenged children with love and empathy. 'Many parents are shy and so keep them indoors. You do not have to abandon or mistreat them or keep them indoors. 'These children are special gifts from God and if you live with them the right way and give them the needed support, they will do marvellous things,' she added. Source: Ghana News Agency