jhr (Journalists for Human Rights)
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Mental illness still widely misunderstood in Ghana

by Chris Tse July 14, 2011
Thumbnail image for Mental illness still widely misunderstood in Ghana Charity and M'Adyoa

This past week was a bit of a learning experience. I learned that in Ghana, many children with mental disabilities are thought to be ‘water babies,’ or demon-possessed witch children.  I learned that most parents will leave such newborns at orphanages or children’s homes, though occasionally, kids are simply taken into the bush and left [...]

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Autism in Ghana part II: Battling stigma and education youth

by Angela Johnston June 20, 2011
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A group of students gather in a circle around a blackboard in a small Accra classroom. Eight-year-old Seletay Pi-Bansa holds a piece of chalk. He begins to sketch letters on the board and his classmates clap in a rhythmic beat to encourage him. “Let’s hear for Seletay,” the teacher says at the Autism Awareness, Care [...]

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Yes they can: Obama Biscuits employs autistic adults in Accra

by Robin Pierro May 12, 2011

> Video and Text by Robin Pierro Nortey Quaynor sits at his station in Accra’s United Biscuits factory. His hands move swiftly sealing bags of freshly baked cookies with Barack Obama’s face pressed into them. Large machines fill the warehouse with a deafening drone while the sweet aroma of fresh baking wafts in the air. [...]

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Ghana’s Refuge for Autism

by Shawn Hayward August 13, 2010

I stood by a playground waiting to interview Serwah Quaynor, founder of Ghana’s only autistic school. A boy walked up to me and without a word spoken, he handed me a plastic ball and bowling pin. He made a gesture that he wants me to throw it back to him. I tossed the ball and [...]

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