First distribution at Dodowa – Friday 12th October

Having spent a dusty day yesterday sorting the wheelchairs in the warehouse into 4 groups for each distribution, it was great for the 10 of us to pile into the minibus today and head off for our first distribution at Dodowa which is situated an hour’s drive north of Tema.
From the minibus window, the panorama of Ghanaian life could be viewed, from teeming city suburbs to simple villages in the lush countryside. The location at Dodowa was outdoors under canopies to protect us from the relentless African sun. That was fine until the weather switched to a torrential downpour in the early afternoon sending everyone rushing for cover!

This was my first experience of seeing how the disabled fare in a developing country. Many of our clients crawled or were carried as a means of getting from A to B. Each therapist assessed their clients with vital help from an interpreter; mine was Pastor David. When he saw George’s name on the form, he exclaimed, “Oh I know him! I carried him here today!” He then proceeded to collect him for the wheelchair assessment which went straightforwardly and it was a delight to see George soon seated proudly in his new chair.




Mercy was used to getting about on her hands and feet. She lived with her grandmother as her own mother was dead. There were additional communication problems as she had some learning difficulties but friends from her community spoke up for her and ensured she got what she needed. The pleasure and dignity in her face after receiving the chair were evident. She said the chair would help her in her job as a seller of iced water.



Not everyone who came to us was given a chair. It is our policy not to give out chairs to those who are getting about with a walking aid as we want to encourage independence and physical strength, not disable them further. This lad was a bit disappointed not to receive a chair but understood when the reasons were explained to him. We were able to give him a pair of crutches which greatly improved his symmetry and walking posture.

Each client was offered time with our pastor Pam for prayer and to receive a Bible in English (if they spoke it), or in their own language. Most of the clients we saw today wanted this.

Our first distribution had gone very well and everyone who needed a chair had been supplied with one. We travelled back to Tema with happy hearts.

http://www.throughtheroof.org/