Joe Mensah, Senior VP and Head of the Ghana Business Unit at Kosmos Energy Ghana
Kosmos Energy Ghana, a leading international deep-water exploration and production company in Ghana's upstream oil and gas sector, has constructed a new dormitory block to house visually impaired students at the Ashanti School for the Deaf in Jamasi, Ashanti Region.
The fully furnished 60-bed dormitory provides essential assistance to the school, equipped with auxiliary facilities to ease the movement of visually impaired students who previously shared dormitory space with their hearing-impaired peers.
During the handing-over ceremony, Mr. Joe Mensah, Senior Vice President and Head of the Ghana Business Unit at Kosmos Energy Ghana, emphasized the significance of recognizing the unique potential of every individual. He stated, "We at Kosmos Energy Ghana believe that these initiatives are more than just projects; they are investments in the education of children with special needs so that they can realize their full potential as members of our society."
Mr. Mensah highlighted that the assistance programs aim to complement the efforts of the government and Parent Teacher Associations in providing much-needed relief to vulnerable children. He reiterated that the initiative aligns with Kosmos Energy Ghana's commitment to supporting four national schools for children with special needs as part of its humanitarian relief program initiated last year.
Addressing the specific project at Ashanti School for the Deaf, Mr. Mensah expressed the company's responsiveness to the headmistress's appeal following the handover of a renovated 300-bed boys' dormitory block in February. He emphasized the necessity of separate accommodations for visually impaired and hearing-impaired students for their safety and well-being.
Mr. Mensah also highlighted previous contributions by Kosmos Energy Ghana, including a renovated clinic with wards, a hearing assessment centre, a consulting room, and washroom facilities for the Salvelugu School for the Deaf in December 2022. Additionally, in July 2023, the company handed over a renovated 6-unit classroom block and physiotherapy equipment to the Twin City Special School. Earlier this November, Kosmos Energy Ghana provided 300 White Canes, newly constructed walkways, and a urinal facility to Akropong School for the Blind in the Eastern Region.
The Headmistress of the Ashanti School for the Deaf, Mrs. Vida Aidoo, expressed gratitude for the timely interventions by Kosmos Energy Ghana, emphasizing their tangible and significant impact on the children. She highlighted the school's journey, from having a deaf/blind department to transforming it into a dedicated blind unit in 2019, solely focused on visually impaired individuals in the middle belt of the country where there is no blind school.
Mrs. Aidoo provided insights into the current educational setup, explaining that Ashdeaf/Blind includes Rehabilitation Class and Kindergarten (KG) up to a lower Primary Basic three. Students will then join the Basic Four classes at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Primary and JHS schools in Jamasi for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The rehabilitation class caters to students who become blind later in life, enabling them to continue their education at other levels by learning Braille.
The provision of fully furnished blocks by Kosmos Energy Ghana reaffirms its commitment to helping children unearth their potential and contribute to society's development. Mrs. Aidoo acknowledged the school's challenges, ranging from food shortages to the rehabilitation of old infrastructure, but expressed joy in reporting successful rehabilitation stories.
Amanasehene, Nana Bediako-Poku I, commended corporate support for its significant role in improving the lives of vulnerable groups in society. He expressed gratification that, after providing support to various special schools across the country, Kosmos Energy Ghana returned to cater to the visually impaired at Ashdeaf-Blind. He commended the company and urged the school management to take good care of the facilities, encouraging other companies to emulate the example set by Kosmos.
