On our third day, we travelled to Tema (around 1h away from central Accra) to visit DESOS (Disabled Equipment Sent Overseas). This is a centre that is being built to welcome disabled people of Ghana. The place was held by an elderly couple of around 80 years old (however extremely active and full of energy!!) and three other local Ghanaians. The whole property did not have running water or electricity; they lived at a very primal stage.
At the centre, there is a library room for the blind, a teaching room for sign language, the disabled patients can take classes to learn how to write and read and there are workshops where they practice carpentry, sewing, art, jewellery making, and any other activities that can help them through their disability. Also, they are given the appropriate and specific equipment needed for free (cane, wheelchair etc). This centre has been opened for 18 months and has already helped around 600 people In Tema and Ghana live a better life. Our job during that day was to help build some of the houses (to accommodate the disabled people when they come for help) and some of the classes: painting, putting bricks together, cutting the grass/trees and cultivating the local food. For our lunch, we cooked kasava, plantain and yam grown from the land and in a very traditional way (pounding with a wooden stick in a wooden bowl), which was a very new and enriching experience. The food is completely different and also very spicy but it’s amazing to try new things!
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