By Stanley Senya
Accra, Dec. 23, GNA – The Dyslexia Care Foundation, in collaboration with the Madina Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has organised a Christmas get-together for the elderly in Madina.
They combined health screening, gifts and public education on learning disabilities.
The event, dubbed “Sub for Santa 2025,” was held at the Madina Stake/Hannah School and brought together more than 200 elderly persons drawn from various communities within the enclave.
Mrs Emma Owusu-Ansah, Founder of the Dyslexia Care Foundation, said the outreach was part of the organisation’s annual efforts to raise awareness about dyslexia and other learning disabilities, using community-based events to reach people who may otherwise not have access to such information.
“Our main purpose is to create awareness about learning disabilities. We use gatherings like this to educate people, especially during festive seasons when communities come together,” she explained.
Mrs Owusu-Ansah said the decision to focus on the elderly this year was deliberate, noting that grandparents often play a significant role in raising and supporting children, particularly grandchildren with learning challenges.
“At the end of the day, many elderly people take care of their grandchildren more than the parents do. This gave us the opportunity to talk to them about learning disabilities, what they are, and how they can help and support their grandchildren,” she said.
As part of the Christmas gesture, the foundation presented gifts to the elderly and also distributed back-to-school items, including school bags, books, stationery and clothing, to support children ahead of the new academic term in January.
Beyond gifts, the programme featured free health screening for participants, with support from volunteer mobile doctors who provided basic medical checks and consultations.
Ms. Owusu-Ansah said insurance education was also incorporated into the event, with representatives from Enterprise Insurance sensitising the elderly on insurance-related issues and options relevant to their age group.
In addition, a representative from Imperial Home Care spoke to participants about home care services, including the option of hiring trained nurses to support elderly persons at home.
“Sometimes when family members take care of the elderly alone, it can be very stressful. We wanted them to know that there are professional services available to support them,” she noted.
Explaining the selection process, Ms. Owusu-Ansah said beneficiaries were nominated by opinion leaders within their communities, including pastors, traditional leaders and other community figures.
“All the people here were brought in groups through opinion leaders. This helps us reach those who truly need the support,” she said.
She added that the foundation runs three main programmes annually: back-to-school projects at the beginning of the year, mid-year teacher training on learning disabilities, and end-of-year community outreach activities.
As someone who personally struggled with learning difficulties growing up, Ms. Owusu-Ansah said her work with the foundation was driven by passion and lived experience.
“I went through a lot growing up with education, and that is why this is very close to my heart. I want to ensure that children with learning disabilities get the support I did not have,” she said.
She noted that while similar activities had been carried out quietly in the past, this was the first major outreach of its kind in Madina, and the growing public interest was encouraging.
“This was something I felt I needed to do. Seeing the turnout today shows that the need is real,” she added.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba