By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, Oct. 14, GNA – The New Horizon Special School (NHSS) will showcase 150 student-made crafts at its annual art exhibition scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the school premises in Accra.
The exhibition aims to promote the talents, vocational skills and economic independence of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Dr George Francois, Interim Executive Director of NHSS, said the event would provide a platform for students to display their creativity and craftsmanship while challenging stereotypes associated with disability.
He said the initiative was introduced by his mother, Madam Salome Francois, founder of the school in 1972, to provide students with special needs the opportunity to express themselves and showcase their abilities.
In a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency ahead of the exhibition, Dr Francois said society’s response to persons with disabilities had often centred on charity-based interventions, which, although well-intentioned, did not always promote long-term self-reliance, financial independence and social inclusion.
He said the exhibition sought to shift the focus from charity to recognising students as skilled creators and potential entrepreneurs whose products deserved fair market value.
Items to be exhibited include hand-woven baskets, patchwork quilts, Kente sashes, batik fabrics, tablecloths and footstools.
Dr Francois described the products as market-ready goods that reflected the students’ skills, dedication and creativity and urged the public to support the initiative through patronage.
He said proceeds from sales would be reinvested in the students’ development and the sustainability of the school’s vocational training programmes.
According to him, 30 per cent of the proceeds would be distributed to needy student artisans as motivational scholarships, 20 per cent allocated to the development of the school’s shop, while the remaining 50 per cent would be used to purchase raw materials for future production.
He said the arrangement was designed to reduce dependence on external donations for workshop supplies while creating opportunities for students to further develop their vocational skills.
Dr Francois said the school also aimed to increase patronage of its shop, both online and on campus, by 40 per cent within 90 days after the exhibition, thereby transforming the one-day event into a sustainable source of support for its training programmes.
The exhibition would run from 1000 hours to 1500 hours and would be open to the public.
Activities lined up for the event include craft displays, participation by local street vendors, live music by a disc jockey, performances by the New Horizon Cultural Troupe and engagement by a master of ceremonies.
Dr Francois said meaningful inclusion required the active participation of the wider community, including businesses and individuals, to help break down social barriers and create opportunities for persons with disabilities.
He appealed to the public to attend the exhibition, purchase the students’ products and continue supporting the school’s shop beyond the event.
Dr Francois said the initiative was intended to build a society that celebrated ability rather than disability while giving students greater recognition for their work and skills.
He encouraged the public to visit the school’s official website for information on its history, programmes and opportunities to support its activities.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng
[email protected]