Wa School of the Blind Receives Support From Bonaboto

By Cliff Ekuful

The Wa branch of the Bolgatanga-Nagodi-Bongo-Tongo (BONABOTO) Association on Sunday donated quantities of items valued at GH¢2,300 to the Wa School for the Blind.

The items meant to support the upkeep of pupils of the school included three bags of second hand clothes, 10 bags of rice, nine bags of maize and two gallons of cooking oil.

The group also socialised with the pupils and their teachers as well as other staff of the school and also familiarised themselves with authorities to ascertain on first hand some of the challenges confronting the running of the school.

In a short ceremony to present the items, the chairman of the group, Mr Richard Asalma Mba said the donation was their widow's mite in contributing to the needs of the pupils who are often neglected by society.

He said as an association it had become part of the culture to support the school on annual basis since funding was a challenge to most of these specialised schools.

Mr Mba explained that BONABOTO was established in 1970 as a non-partisan group that would see to the welfare and development of its members.

"Over the years the group had grown to become a formidable group supporting its members across the length and breadth of the country and across the world," he said.

He encouraged the pupils not to look down upon themselves but rather take their studies seriously in order to realise their potential.

According to him suffering from blindness or being visually impaired was only a physical challenge and parents must not neglect their wards just because they suffer such adding "It is only a physical disability and not a mental disability. You can therefore function like any other children."

Mr Mba called for patience in training such children since with the appropriate support and training, their potential would be realised.

The headmistress of the school, Reverend Grace Amoako expressed her gratitude to the group for the support and pledged that the items would be used for its intended purpose.

She said such gestures often relieved the children from hardship which occurred due to the late release of funding for their upkeep.

On her part the Wa Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, Hajia Fusata Hamidu commended BONABOTO for the donation and called on other benevolent organisations to turn their eye to the school.

She explained that though the school was the only specialised school for the blind in the three regions of the north, very often benevolent organisations forget its existence.

Hajia Hamidu said any gesture that would help alleviate the plight of the unfortunate kids was welcomed.

The Chairman of the Wa Branch of BONABOTO Association, Mr Mba presenting the items to the headmistress of the Wa School for the Blind, Reverend Grace Amoako (in black). With her is the Wa Municipal Director of Education, Hajia Fusata Hamidu (in veil).

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