Ghana National Deaf Children's Society Support for Deaf Children and their Families. A Case Study of GNDCS Gari Project PRESENTED BY Kwasi Ofori-Manteaw, Executive Director, Ghana National Deaf Children's Society Box UC 226, Cape Coast, Ghana Tel: 00233 42 37444 www.gndcs.org   E-mail: kom@gndcs.org

BACKGROUND What prompted the gari project GNDCS’ aims and objectives Identification of other problems Poverty among families with deaf children Lack of meaningful welfare system High unemployment rate among the families

AIMS To provide a forum for family members to develop their entrepreneurial skills and think about starting their own business. To serve as a source of income for families of deaf children To empower parents to provide their children’s basic needs; education, health, food, clothing, shelter etc To enable parents to fully exploit the potential of deaf children

ACTION The gari making process GNDCS organized family members of deaf children to plan and start the project Facilities and equipment for production was acquired by GNDCS on behalf of the families Production stages

STAGE 1: PEELING OF CASSAVA

STAGE 2: MILLING OF CASSAVA

STAGE 3: PRESSING OF CASSAVA DOUGH

STAGE 4: FRYING OF CASSAVA DOUGH

RESULTS Families earn reliable income Families are able to send deaf children to school, hospitals, and thus provide their children’s basic needs. Families and children have confidence as they have better life style. GNDCS earns money to organize more programs for members; deaf awareness campaign, family days, sign language classes, talks on health, education, voting etc

LESSONS The pilot project has proved to be Successful so it will be replicated in the remaining nine regions of Ghana. It has brought to the fore the need to develop the administrative and entrepreneurial skills of the members. The project attests to the fact that when deaf children's families are supported adequately, it impacts on the children positively.

Thank you