THE AUTISM AWARENESS CARE AND TRAINING CENTRE (AACT)
Accra, Ghana
Founded By: Auntie Serwah Quaynor
Founded In: 1998
Has served over 300 individuals affected by autism in Ghana, incluidng parents, caregivers and those with autism.
Located In: Kokomlemle in Accra, Ghana
For more information about their impressive work, please visit:
www.aact.org.gh
From AACT's Website:
The
Autism Awareness Care and Training Centre (AACT), is a local support and education centre for children with autism that was founded in 1998 by Mrs. Serwah Quaynor, a mother of a child with autism.
In search of services to help her child, Mrs. Quaynor made a personal commitment to help other Ghanaian children with autism. Mrs. Quaynor fulfilled her commitment by creating AACT seven years ago. Since creating the Centre, Mrs. Quaynor has worked tirelessly to help parents of children with autism in Ghana to understand better the disability and to feel that there is a safe place to go for support and help.
AACT's mission is to support the families of children with autism. In order to achieve this mission, AACT focuses on two primary areas: (1) promoting awareness and understanding of autism in Ghana ; and (2) providing training and educational services to children with autism in order for them to function more effectively in society.
While developing countries understand autism as a medical disorder, the general public in Ghana have little or no understanding of autism. Given this “gap”, families of children with autism are often left ostracized from their communities and extended families. In some cases, the mothers of children with autism are seen as “witches” that have possessed their child with evil spirits. For these reasons, having a child with autism in Ghana is a traumatic and painful experience for most families.
AACT was created to provide a safe place for families to come for understanding, information and education about autism. Some of the work provided by the Centre includes:
- Public awareness campaigns with newspapers, national TV and radio to discuss autism, what it is and what it isn't to reduce the social stigma around the disease;
- Life-skills training;
- Educational approaches to teaching language and communication;
- Art classes and physical education;
- Field trips and extracurricular activities; and
- Respite care for families.
37 Royalt Castle Road, Kokomemle
Accra , Ghana, West Africa
P. O. Box 3043
Osu, Accra, Ghana
West Africa
E-Mail:
acct@ghana.com
