Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart) and United Way Ghana have taken steps to build a long-lasting relationship with the Dzorwulu Special School as part of its diversity and inclusion agenda.
As part of the relationship, StanChart, led by Millicent Clarke, Head of Human Resource for Africa and Middle East and Andy MacLean, Global Head of Organisation & People Capability, together with their implementing partner, United Way Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has presented groceries such as rice, fish, chicken, tomato paste among others and work books to the Dzorwulu Special School.
The pupils at the school also taught the staff from StanChart some of the skills they have acquired at the school such as arm rest, beaded necklaces and bangles, fluffy balls etc.
Speaking to journalists during the presentation of the items, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing at StanChart, Asiedua Addae, stressed that the kind gesture is part of their community engagement programme dubbed ‘future makers.’
“We support young people especially those with special needs as well as women. We support them in three different areas – employability, education and entrepreneurship. We have our women in tech programme that is supporting female entrepreneurs. We have a programme that supports youth who have finished university called youth employability skills.
The reason for choosing this school is that we want to begin a special relationship with the Dzorwulu Special School. We have a good diversity and inclusion agenda which also looks to bring in people with special needs and make sure that we extend the same kind of support that we extend to everybody in the community also to them,” she said.
She added that this is not going to be a nine-day wonder as they have scheduled for staff to take turns to visit the school monthly.
“Together with our HR team, we thought we should come and spend some time with the children and also donate a few items to them. We are coming out with a monthly schedule for our staff to spend some time with the children,” Asiedua Addae noted.
Director of United Way Ghana, Felix Kissiedu-Addi, in a remark said: “United Way Ghana believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to realise their full potential. Engaging these children in these activities contribute to the organisation’s inclusion, diversity and equity goal. It also contributes to the attainment of the SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 4 (Quality Education).”
Principal for the Dzorwulu Special school, Fred Tetteh, expressed excitement and maintained that the relationship with StanChart will go a long way to benefit the school to meet its vision and mission.
“I am overjoyed. This is a government institution and I have been telling people that the government alone cannot meet the needs of every institution in the country. So, for StanChart and their partners to do this amazing thing for the school, though they love everybody, but they love the disabled most.
The items they have donated to us are going to help management take very good care of these children. We welcome the relationship and believe it is going to go a long way to help the school. It is good news for us,” he said.
We need more teaching assistants
Mr. Tetteh seized the opportunity to plead with the government to post more teaching assistants to the school since the teacher pupil ratio currently in the school does not meet the workload.
“Handling these children is extremely difficult now. Only one teacher handles about 20 pupils and that is a very difficult task for them. We need the government to employ a lot of teaching assistants to come and support the work of teachers here,” he requested.
