Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), a youth focused organisation, has presented Braille and Daisy versions of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act560), and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 (Act 653) to the Akropng School for the Blind.

The gesture, which was part of the Foundation’s social responsibility, was to create supporting platforms to challenge the creativity of the youth and to make available critical information and resources needed for the total development of the youth.

The items included 15 copies each of the Braille Act 560 and Act 653 and 5 copies each of Daisy formats of the Act, as part of the YBF's efforts, to increase children and young people’s awareness of the laws affecting them and also help in achieving the Foundation’s goal which is to promote the development of the environment that optimises the potential of the youth and to support them develop into responsible adulthood.

Director of Social Welfare, Mrs. Comfort Asare, who represented the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, said although everyone, including those who are not visually impaired, have some forms of disabilities, it should not limit them from achieving their goals as what is needed is the resources required to achieve them.

“You have the ability to succeed, what you need is a goal or focus and you will achieve it,” she said.

Mrs. Asare said it is important for all citizens, especially young people, to know their rights and responsibilities, which are spelt out in the Children’s Act 560 and Juvenile Justice Act 653.

She commended the YBF for supporting government by producing the documents to the school and urged the students to read the laws in order not to be ignorant of their rights and responsibilities and to be good citizens of the country.

Project Officer of the YBF, Ms. Maud Nukunu, on her part, underscored the need for young people and students in particular to pay attention to their responsibilities as spelt out in the Acts and not just focus on their rights.

Headmistress of Akropong School for the Blind, Ms. Mahela Narh, thanked the YBF and the ministry for providing the documents in Braille since it is important for the visually impaired to also read and know their rights and responsibilities for themselves.
“You have really bridged the gap,” she said.

A past student of the School and a representative of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled, Mr. Alexander Bankole-Williams, commended YBF for their keen interest in addressing the needs of disabled young people.

He explained that the Daisy format is a combination of audio and text with screen-reading technology that allows visually impaired people to read on their computers.

He advised the students to read the documents to be effectively empowered to contribute their quota to the country’s development.

A newscaster with E-TV and also an alumnus of the school, Mr. Paul Anomah-Kodie, urged the students to look beyond their disabilities and find the purpose for which God created them and work towards fulfilling that purpose.

He stated that “God knows we can bear it that is why we are blind. You have the talent and you can do whatever you put your minds on.”