Ghana’s first female deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has launched a foundation that aims at empowering the vulnerable in the society, especially, women and children living with disability to realize their dreams.

Dubbed ‘Adwoa Safo Foundation’, the initiative strives to reduce inequality in the society as being by championed by the United Nations with regards to Goal 10 of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To make great impact in the society, the Foundation promises to build a nursing home in each of the sixteen regions of the country while ensuring that children living with disability are integrated into the normal schools to ensure that they are well developed just like their peers.

Speaking at the launch of the Foundation at a ceremony held in Accra on Friday, October 11, 2019, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo said “Today heralds a new day and beginning. Growing up as a little girl, I watched my father care for the disabled, needy, less privileged and refugees in the society. I am following his footsteps”.

The activities of the Foundation, she said will not be restricted only in Accra as it plans to also focus on identifying young girls and women to incubate their enterprises and or businesses to ensure its growth in whatever way or form.

“The Foundation is not concentrating its activities only in Accra. We will be looking at all the 16 regions. One thing that has always been my dream is to continue the good work of my father who has been a humanitarian and philanthropist for so many years. Now the technological aspect of his life is taking the shine but he started off as a farmer and a humanitarian. He didn’t end there and he didn’t restrict himself to only Accra and so we will not restrict ourselves to only Accra. We want to build at least one nursing home in every region to take of our aged mothers who due to biological changes that come along old age are usually referred to as witches or they are mad or that and so are secluded from society and also for the disabled children or children living with disability. We want to be their voice that they should be integrated into our normal schools as normal children. This issue of stigma and keeping them in special schools, I think that they also have the right and research has shown that when they are allowed to integrate into the normal schools, they even develop better and feel an integrated part of normal children”, she explained.

In his welcome address, the Project Coordinator at the Adwoa Safo Foundation, Nana Dubeng Kwapong, revealed that the Foundation is the beginning of a new future for the needy, women and the less privileged in the society.

“This Foundation was built to assist persons living with disabilities, needy but brilliant children and women achieve their dreams. We cannot do it all therefore we are looking forward to this great partnership to Organizations, CSOs among others”, he said.

The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NNP), Freddie Blay who was a special guest lauded the initiative by the Management and Board of Trustees of the Adwoa Safo Foundation.

He said “This is thoughtful of her. Many have turned their backs to people with disabilities. If Adwoa feels, these special people need special attention, we have to support the worthy course”.

Mr. Freddie Blay pledged to support the Foundation and elevate persons with disabilities in the society. He therefore donated an amount of GH?20,000 to support the work of the Foundation.