Ghana Deaf School Grads Seek Career Startup Funds

Our daughter Charlene and her husband Malik, a teacher at the Demonstration School for the Deaf Mampong-Akupem, Ghana, are seeking your help.

 

Five students in Malik's shoemaking/business class have completed their training and are graduating, ready to begin their lifelong career.
These young deaf adults are desperately in need of startup funds to set up their shoemaking businesses in their own villages throughout the region. 

Starting up a small shoemaking business in Ghana requires equipment. Startup tools and supplies are far beyond the reach for most vocationally trained Ghanaians hoping to begin their careers.

To flourish, Esther, Jefferson and three other graduating young adults will each need a sewing machine, shears, scissors, knives, other tools, a wide variety of shoe lasts (forms), and raw materials. Your donation will provide these young shoemakers with tools and supplies that will ensure the success of their careers, and improve the economy within their villages.
(Itemized tool list and method of distributing funds at bottom of page)

We are asking for your help in supporting these truly courageous Ghanaians who remain strong despite facing unimaginable adversity. Your heartfelt contributions will help them change their dreams into reality. Here is your opportunity to change their future by becoming part of it:  

You can donate now or keep reading to discover how this beautiful story began.

 

Four years ago, our daughter Charlene traveled to Ghana to volunteer at the Demonstration School for the Deaf, Mampong-Akupem, where she worked as an art teacher.

 

 

While she was in Ghana, Charlene fell in love with the lush rainforests, the friendly people, the school and its bright children…and one of the school’s teachers: a smart, handsome Ghanaian named Malik. After her months of volunteering ended, Char ended up traveling several times back to Ghana, back to her deaf students…back to Malik.

 

In July 2019, Char returned to Ghana once again, but this time her family joined her to participate in the marriage ceremony of Malik and Charlene! A few days before the wedding we visited the place where Malik worked and Charlene volunteered-- the school that this GoFundMe is all about--The Demonstration School for the Deaf Mampong-Akuapem.

 

 

We walked past classrooms of friendly, energetic children and young adults, met the headmaster, and finally entered Malik’s classroom/workshop. Here, about a dozen deaf and/or developmentally challenged students worked shoulder to shoulder as they cut leather, rubber, and cloth. They hammered, riveted, beaded and sewed these raw materials into the final product- beautiful, colorful, and comfortable sandals and shoes.

 

 

Charlene and Malik interpreted the students’ sign language for us, and our spoken words for them, but no interpreting was necessary for us to see the spark in the eyes of these young shoemakers. They were learning a valuable skill in a world where deaf and other similarly challenged people are too often left to fend for themselves.

 

That’s how the story begins. How successfully the story ends is in your hands.

 

Malik has been teaching the shoemaking class at the deaf school for more than four years. In that time he has watched his students grow from teenagers with little knowledge of business or the shoemaking trade, into confident young adults who can design and construct beautiful sandals, slippers, shoes, and boots.

 

          Malik and the 2022 Graduates

Malik’s first class of students will graduate this year after going through an intensive shoemaking and marketing skills program, and will soon be ready to hit the job market.

After years of training at the Deaf School the students have blossomed, gaining confidence and skills…Everything necessary to build a respectable, life-sustaining career.

Well, almost everything. Your partnership is the key to their success. Please donate now.

 

            Introducing the First Two Graduates 

 

 

Jefferson Tsormenya is a bright young man of 21 years, and has been enrolled at the Demonstration School for the Deaf, Mampong-Akuapem for the past four years. Shortly following his birth, Jefferson’s father abandoned him because of his deafness. For now, he lives with his mum and grandmother in Akyem Tafo in Ghana’s Eastern Region.

 

Jefferson had no formal education until he entered the deaf school at age 16. His teachers describe Jefferson as an intelligent and creative young man. He is known to be a “boss” (extremely talented) when it comes to bead weaving, and he making beautiful footwear.

 

Jefferson is preparing to graduate and join Ghana’s working world, but is unable to afford the tools, machinery, and raw materials necessary to begin the career for which he has trained. Please help support this young man who has fought so hard to overcome the unfair stigma of being born deaf, and has since become a confident, educated, hardworking Ghanaian.

 

Your generosity is crucial to Jefferson and will jumpstart his career, giving him the momentum necessary to navigate the road to success.
#disabilitynotinability

 

 

 

At 23 years old, Esther Afriyie is an incredibly bubbly young woman from Konogo in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Esther completed her junior high school education in 2016. Like many other Ghanaians who must face family, work, or personal obligations at a young age, Esther was not able to complete senior high school. Serendipitously, Esther was introduced to the vocational skills program at the Demonstration School for the Deaf in 2018.

 

When we visited the campus, we had the pleasure to meet Esther and can say without a doubt that she has found her creative niche. Esther has fallen in love with designing and making shoes, sandals, and other footwear.

Meeting Esther makes you realize that she does not see her “disability” as inability.

 

Esther is talented, funny, bright, and cheerful. She could seemingly conquer the world with her smile alone. Still that is not quite enough.

If Esther is to begin a successful shoemaking career, she is going to need one more thing—your donation.

 

By assisting these young adults in launching their careers today, you will be empowering them to achieve their dream tomorrow.

On behalf of Esther, Jefferson and the other students at the Demonstration School of the Deaf, thank you for your generous support.

Examples of costs associated with starting up a shoemaking business in Ghana for one person (shown below in U.S. dollars):

 

Shoe Last (mold) Set:

Shoe Lasts Male                         $130.00

Shoe Lasts Female                     $130.00

Sandal Lasts Female                 $130.00

Sandal Lasts Male                      $130.00

Bench grinder/polisher           $165.00

Sewing Machine                          $165.00

Anvil with Tripod Stand              $50.00

Steel Punch Set                                $17.00

Punch Seat                                             $8.00

Scissors (2)                                             $5.00

Hammer (2)                                            $5.00

Knife (2)                                                    $3.00

Raw Materials                                 $165.00

                                                               ___________

                        Total                           $1,103.00

                        necessary

                        to open a

                        shoemaking

                        business

                        per student

This Go Fund Me is administered by Carolyn and Richard Creighton on the behalf of  Malik and Charlene Acolaste, a teacher and a volunteer at The Demonstration School of the Deaf, Mampong-Akupem, Ghana.

Donations will be deposited into our Chase GoFundMe account and wire transferred at no cost by Chase Bank to Malik's and Charlene's Bank of Ghana account. Charitable funds are not taxed at either end. Go FundMe has a low 1.9% platform fee, which we will be paying , so 100% of individual donations will be utilized.

Equipment will be purchased and then distributed equally among the five graduating deaf students for the sole purpose of starting up and growing successful shoemaking businesses in Ghana. Thank you.