The country’s oldest social home, the Ghana Society for the Socially Disadvantaged (GSSD) located in Accra has witnessed its biggest facelift in recent times following the refurbishment of its male dormitory by an international charity non-government organisation, The Ellen Aldrich Trust (TEAT).

The ngo replaced dirty and tattered mosquito nets, spoilt ceiling fans, provided 20 student mattresses and repainted the entire facility. The Trust also replaced the bathroom and toilet facilities and donated a 32-inch television to the home at a cost of GHC 25,000.

The refurbished dormitory was handed-over to the management of the centre at a brief ceremony in Accra.

The centre was established by a joint initiative by the Ministry of Health and Department of Social Welfare in 1958 as the Ghana Cripples Society or the Kaneshie Cripples Home charged with the responsibility of enhancing the quality of life for the physically challenged and socially disadvantaged by providing them with free residential vocational training in tailoring, dressmaking, leatherworks and computer education.

Since its inception, the centre was drawing its sponsorship and funding from the Ghana National Trust Fund and the Department of Social Welfare, two sources that has dwindled over the years, compelling the centre to fall on the benevolence of individuals and non-governmental organisations.

With a current student population of 26, the centre is faced with challenges including the ability to provide set-up equipment and funding for students who successfully graduate as well as providing a an accommodation for graduated students who do not have families to go to.

Addressing the emotional handing-over ceremony, a celebrated Ghanaian sports journalist who chairs the TEAT team in Ghana described as a slur on the conscience of Ghanaians the total disregard for the care and support of the socially disadvantaged.

According to him, TEAT was set-up to give meaning to what he described as “star power” while immortalising the humanitarian gestures of the late American philanthropist, joseph Aldrich and his wife Ellen.

He pledged the continuous desire of the Trust to partner the centre and other socially disadvantaged organisations to offer care and support for deprived and needy persons across the country.

He told the ceremony, TEAT would consider a post-training package for graduating students to “enable them face life squarely” without being dependent on anyone.

The Manager in-charge of the Centre, Seth Appeagyei commended the Trust for the support and challenged other well-meaning individuals and organisations to emulate the gesture by TEAT.

The Chairman of the Management Board of the centre, Anthony Mensah said the support offered by TEAT has been “ a huge relief “ to a financially challenged institution.

He said that as part of its 5-year action plan, the society has embarked on separate projects to construct Staff Accommodation Facility, a Career Resource Centre and introduce additional vocational training programmes.

The ceremony was witnessed by some personalities including Prof. Mercy Newman of the Ridge Hospital Christian Services Group; a Board Member of the centre, Madam Muriel Gilbertson and a former Minister for Employment & Social Welfare, Madam Cecilia Bannerman.

The Ellen Aldrich Trust (TEAT) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental and non-faith based charity organisation dedicated to the improvement of lives for the poor, the needy and the marginalised around the world. It was incorporated in January 2017 after an initial idea mooted by Millicent Boateng, a Ghanaian social worker living in the United States of America and named after the late Frank Joseph Aldrich, a U.S humanitarian and his wife Ellen.