Gender Ministry to partner Autism Aid App project

Deputy Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Gifty Twum says the gender ministry will partner the Autism Aid App project to undertake a national registration exercise for children living with special needs. She made this revelation at the launch of the Autism Aid App Version 2.0 project at the British Council in Accra.

The Minister who was the guest speaker for the event acknowledged the great work the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana are doing in the country adding that the Ministry of Gender is happy to work with them and was looking forward to partner with the project.

She noted that people living with autism have become a pervasive the world is fighting to cure.

In other parts of the country, people living with autism are giving special attention. She, therefore, believes with projects such as the Autism Aid App in the system we are heading towards cushioning the support for disability in the country.

The Autism Aid App provides a helpline service for families of children living with Autism to get information from professionals on how to care for their children. The Autism Aid App also provides a Picture Exchange Communication System for children living with autism and it provides an autism awareness platform for the society to learn more about autism.

The Autism Aid App is the first Android application for children living with autism in Ghana and West-Africa developed by the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana. It was developed to help create more awareness on autism and also help improve lives of children living with autism through technology.

Alice Mamaga Akosua Amoako, founder and co-developer of the app explained that there were efforts by few benevolent persons to support the autism situation, yet these seemed not enough.

There was, therefore, the drive to educate guardians and parents of the children living with autism to gradually learn the basics of interacting and understanding the ordinary so as to relate very well to every individual.

She added that this brought about the development of the Autism Aid App and subsequently its upgrade. It is to enhance autism support and help interaction for persons living with the condition to be able to conform to society without stress.

Alan Rutt, the Country Director for the British Council who was also a special guest of honour spoke about the British Council's equality, diversity and inclusion agenda and commended the great work of the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana.

Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, chaired the occasion and encouraged the general public to come together to support children living with autism in Ghana. She also mentioned that the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana are doing a great work for Ghana and beyond.

5 children living with autism on the day were recognized and emerged the global icons of the Autism Aid App. They are; Renate Nana Yaa Kuffour (Ghana), Maame Bema Baffour Awuah (Ghana), Yacoba Tete-Marmon (Ghana), Yooku Adentwi (Ghana) and Henda Gaspar De Assis (United Kingdom).

Country Director for Reach for Change, a partner for the project emphasized that his organisation was delighted to support the Autism Aid App project and they were proud of their Change leader, Alice Mamaga Akosua Amoako.

He noted that Reach for Change will continue to give the needed support to the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana on their project.

Established in April 2016, the Autism Aid App operates in Ghana and its social impact is currently in Ghana, London, and Tanzania.

The new advanced features of the Autism Aid App Version 2.0 includes a USSD Code *800*24# which provides a helpline service for families of children living with autism. The code can also be accessed on any phone by families who do not have smartphones or Android devices.

The Autism Aid App is available on Google Play Store for downloads across the world.



Other guests at the event were Dennis Kwamena Dadzie (National Council of Persons with Disability), Martha Ankomah (Actress), Paul Eddy Quartey (CEO of Edern Security), Debra-Jane (CEO of Think Mahogany), Evelyn Asiedu (Head of Student Affairs of Ghana Technology University College), Serwah Quaynor (Founder, AACT), Simon Alangde (CEO of Wineloya Digital) and Kwame Tutu (Rainbow Radio)