SNAP (Special Needs Awareness Program)

In the Lawra area, there seems to be a lot of "malformed" or disabled children. There are several reasons for this...poor nutrition during pregnancy, self medicating during pregnancy, no or poor prenatal care, alcohol/drug abuse during pregnancy.

There are those who have challenges because of an accident that may have left them with a handicap, or maybe health care wasn't received when the child had a serious illness. (You have to understand that medical care is a lot different here in Ghana, especially in the north where facilities that have the ability to do even simple things such as x-rays are few and far between. Therefore, if a child is seriously ill, there is a good possibility that the family cannot reach the proper health facility in a timely manner. Transportation is always an issue as well as cost of transport, food, etc.) Serious challenges may be the result of a very high fever.

As a result of the "communication workshop" that was such a great success, an executive committee was formed to plan our next steps. How do we reach these children, many of them not being welcome at school. There are not special needs schools in the Lawra area, and teachers assistants and therapeutic staff support are unheard of here. So, a child may spend years in the same class or grade in school because they don't have the ability to learn like their peers. They always fail the exam to proceed to the next grade.

SNAP was born late in May 2012...Special Needs Awareness Program. It is an enrichment program for children with special needs in the Lawra District and their families focusing on health, education and socialization. SNAP meets the first Wednesday of each month. 

We begin each meeting with breakfast for those attending. It is a simple one, porridge. Many of the people coming to the SNAP meetings are from villages and travel a distance. Plus, the poverty level is extremely high, so this is just one small way we can help.

Those who attended the July 2012 program were able to have free health screening for their children...

including having a vision test! The parents received free HIV screening, too.

There is plenty of time for the children to just hang out and be kids...playing with blocks, puzzles, and having books read to them.

Another part of July's meeting was a sign up for the children's health insurance at no cost to the parents. It is a program being offered through The Mission Society, through a special account for the Lawra Integrated Health Project.

Each meeting has a speaker geared towards helping the parents cope with their special needs child, or it may address a health concern, safety issues or to teach a skill to the parents (basic sewing is on the agenda for an upcoming meeting). A simple lunch is provided. And, youth from the local schools volunteer to help; they are part of the Lawra Youngsters Association.

We hope that the community would come to a point where they see these children as worthwhile, as gifts and not as a curse. We hope that some day there will be an educational facility in the area to help the special needs children receive an education, learn a skill...to give meaning to their lives. We hope that parents and the community will see these children as unique, unrepeatable miracles of God. May God give their parents wisdom and grace as they lead their children through life!