Miss Ghana USA 2011 Finalist ON Autism Awareness

June 17, 2011

Miss Ghana USA 2011 Finalist Ellen Osei presses the importance of Autism Awareness and Advocacy in Ghana

Ellen Osei is a finalist in the Miss Ghana USA pageant to represent the Volta region for the July 2011 pageant. Ms. Osei is a native of New Jersey whose parents are of Ghanaian descent. Her background is of the Ashanti and Ga tribes, and she is the youngest girl of seven siblings.

She has selected the platform of Autism Spectrum Disorders - Awareness and Advocacy to be her year-long campaign if she is selected to be the future Miss Ghana USA 2011.

Ms. Osei attended graduate school at Columbia University Medical, NY, and received a master of science in occupational therapy. Within the past four years, Ellen has conducted research regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and implemented an international community based program (Nicaragua) serving to raise awareness and train health professionals/caregivers in various effective treatment strategies for young children with developmental delays such as autism.

Using her professional training as a clutch, and the potential title of Miss Ghana USA as a resounding influence, it is Ms. Osei’s passion and vision to continue to provide the same service to the children and professionals in Ghana and eventually other African countries. As an occupational therapist she is determined to ensure that the special needs population, as well as children of all abilities in Ghana, are able to function to their fullest potential. Her professional training will allow her to assist the children with development of the skills needed to be able to successfully integrate into their environments and become productive members of society.

Ms. Osei plans to begin fulfilling this vision through her non-profit organization, Raising HOPE, which aims to provide resources and physical assistance to orphans and less fortunate children in Africa. The organization is currently working on a project with God’s Children’s Home, based out of the village of Dodowa in Ghana. She plans to assist the children by implementing specialized activity groups addressing normal development and improvement of basic activities of daily living, vocational skill, educational, leisure and social skills.

Ms. Osei is reaching out to the Ghanaian community for your support in her quest to promote autism advocacy and awareness in Ghana. To vote for Ellen Osei and learn more about her platform visit: http://www.missghanausa.org/index.php?option=com_igallery&view=igcategory&id=18&Itemid=153

1. You will need to create a user ID and password to officially vote. You may do this by clicking member login

2. After receiving your account activation link via email, you will have to log-in to the site using your user information, then cast your vote on the right side of the homepage

To learn more about Raising HOPE and get involved, visit: www.raisinghopeafrica.org