Tema, Oct. 18, GNA – The Centre for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities has launched a reality show to give opportunity to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to get the needed platform to develop their talents and play meaningful roles in society.
The talent show, known as the ‘Makyede? Reality Show’ is organized in collaboration with the Nii Annang Adzor Foundation, and also seeks to help PWDs meet their employment challenges by projecting their talents such that it brings them the needed income.
Mr. Alexander Tetteh, Chairman of Centre for the Employment of PWDs, said the Centre had observed that there were various ways of creating employment for PWDs and all those opportunities must be exploited to make them live better lives.
Mr. Tetteh indicated that ‘formal employment’ had failed PWDs because the job market was so discriminatory against them that they found it difficult finding employment.
“The informal sector has also failed us because we need capital to set up businesses and the banks and individuals are not willing to give us loans because they feel we cannot pay back due to our conditions,” Mr. Tetteh added.
In that regard, he said the various talents of PWDs could become the means through which they could bridge the unemployment gap “since PWDs in some developed countries have used their talents to create income and develop livelihood for themselves.
“So, we decided that we would mobilize PWDs to showcase the various talents as a livelihood strategy and make income out of it, so that they would not go to the streets and beg for alms,” he explained.
Mr. Tetteh said PWDs would gain their dignity and become celebrities, which would give them the opportunity to perform on bigger platforms.
In his remarks as chairman for the occasion, the Chief of Ashaiman, Nii Annang Adzor, asked Ghanaians to accept this laudable vision to help PWDs, since that would help to promote their image and make them live meaningful lives.
Nii Adzor, who is also the President of the Nii Annang Adzor Foundation, appealed to the numerous churches in Ashaiman to be part of the reality show programme and give PWDs the opportunity to get a means of livelihood.
He asked PWDs to see themselves as gifts and blessings to their families and Ghana and bring out the qualities which was much needed for their personal development and that of the nation.
The Makyede? Reality Show would have twelve seasons during which the contestants would prove their capabilities until they are left with the ultimate winner, the first, second, and third runners up.
The maiden one, the Accra Regional Makyede? Reality Show has about 30 contestants. The show would take place in all sixteen regions of Ghana with the national competition to be held at the National Theatre, Accra.
The winner of a regional competition would receive a deep freezer, a flat screen Television, GH¢ 10,000.00, and scholarship to study. The first runner up would receive a fridge, flat screen Television, GH¢ 5,000.00, and a scholarship to study.
The second runner up would receive a flat screen Television, GH¢ 3,000.00, a scholarship to study, whilst the third runner up would receive a Television set and GH¢ 1,000.00 scholarship.
The winner of the national competition will receive a car and other items.
At the height of the launch, some of the PWDs treated the gathering to good music, dancing, among others and really stunned everyone present with their amazing skill and qualities.
GNA