Sightsavers, a disability advocacy organisation, has developed a plan to change social behaviour towards persons with disabilities (PWDs) to facilitate their employment in Ghana.
At a 2-day meeting in Accra on February 23 and 24, 2024, the organisation and some key stakeholders identified the various challenges inhibiting the employment of persons with disabilities both in the formal and informal sectors. Strategies were subsequently devised to drive a public education campaign to change public perceptions and attitudes toward PWDs.
Lack of employment opportunities is one of the major challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Ghana. While those with formal education are often denied opportunities, those into entrepreneurship also experience low patronage owing to their disability.
To address the situation, Sightsavers regularly organizes training and mentorship programmes for graduates with disabilities, after which they are linked to employers. Those without formal education are given entrepreneurial training and guided to set up and run their businesses.
The social behaviour change campaign is meant to further this cause, as it seeks to eliminate stigma and discrimination which are the sources of the barriers to their economic development.
In an interview with DisabilityNewsGH.com on the sidelines of the stakeholder engagement, the Senior Programme Manager at Sightsavers Ghana, Mr. David Agyemang, called on unemployed persons with disabilities to get in touch with his outfit to benefit from their training and mentorship programmes.
Interested persons are encouraged to call or WhatsApp the contact person on 0233555984.
Sightsavers is an international charity organisation working to prevent avoidable blindness, support equality for people with disabilities and advocate for change.
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SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com