Regional News of Saturday, 24 October 2015

Source: GNA

UCC blind students call for support

File photo File photo

Campus Volunteer Foundation (CVF) of the University of Cape Coast has called for support from the public to help raise funds to purchase voice recorders for the visually impaired students of the school to facilitate their learning process.

The recorders forms a major part in the lives of the visually impaired students aside the brails since it enables them to access learning materials.

Mr Hafiz Laryea, President of Campus Volunteer Foundation-UCC told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that about 30 visually impaired students at the university have their recorders defective.

He said the foundation decided to launch the initiative by soliciting funds to enable to purchase the recorders for the students.

“Volunteers from our group are ready to record books for the visually impaired but upon realisation of this fact, we decided to launch this project.

“We found this as a responsibility and challenge –to stand up for them by raising GH¢ 9,000 to purchase 30 voice recorders which costs GH¢ 300 each for our colleagues.”

“To us, this is what volunteerism is all about. The way an active, apolitical citizenry recognises needs and provides services or makes efforts to address them well before government or institution heads do. This is the way towards building a better society. We have little or no excuse as students.”

He expressed gratitude to the coordinator of Resource Centre for Alternative Media and Assistive Technology of UCC, Dr Baaba Aidoo, for allowing the foundation to use the centres name to raise funds in aid of the recorders for the visual impairment students.

The president said soon, volunteers would hit the lecture theatres and offices of the lecturers, to make appeal to benevolent people and organisations to ensure success.

Mr Laryea appealed to students, Students Representative Council, local National Union of Ghana Students, lecturers, philanthropists, as well as benevolent groups to contribute to the great cause noting that, “Everyone can make a difference”.

CVF is a student volunteer organisation on campus which instils the spirit of volunteerism in all students and, to reach out in diverse ways to impact society positively and to educate tertiary students that, volunteerism is a great tool towards better society.

Mr Laryea said individuals, groups and organisations that wish to support the noble cause should contact the Resource Centre representative or president of CVF on +233207799146/+233248373780 for more details.

Accounts of donations and updates of the project shall also be posted on the social media pages of Campus Volunteer Foundation.