The Chief Executive Officer of the Akua Anningwaa Legacy Foundation, Madam Akua Ataa Amoaniwaa, has appealed to the government to prioritize the welfare and inclusion of children living with autism in order to reduce stigmatization and street begging.
According to the mother of a 17-year-old autistic child, many parents of autistic children in Ghana face severe discrimination and rejection from society, a situation that often pushes affected families into extreme hardship and, in some cases, street begging.
She explained that the high level of stigmatization associated with autism discourages many parents and sometimes leads to the abandonment of autistic children. She therefore called on the government to implement strong social support policies and awareness programmes to support both parents and children living with autism.
Madam Amoaniwaa made the appeal in an interview with Adom News during a donation exercise at Ntonso in the Ashanti Region, where her foundation supported a vulnerable mother with a fully-furnished rented apartment and startup capital to help care for her 10-year-old autistic child.
She noted that developed countries such as Germany have established support systems for autistic children and their families, and urged the Ghanaian government to emulate such initiatives.
“I gave birth to my 17-year-old autistic daughter in Germany. If it had happened in Ghana, I do not know what my situation would have been by now. That is why I established this foundation to support parents and children living with autism in Ghana. I plead with the government to also come on board and support such families,” she stated.
A beneficiary of the foundation’s support, Madam Abena Tiwaah, who is also a mother of an autistic child, recounted the discrimination and emotional trauma she has endured because of her daughter’s condition.
According to her, she was rejected in the community where she previously lived and at one point contemplated taking her own life due to the pressure and stigma.
“Because of my child, anytime I get a job, I am eventually dismissed,” she lamented.
She further disclosed that some people advised her to kill her daughter, describing the child as “evil,” but she refused to listen to them.
“Today, I have realized that my faith and perseverance have brought me victory. The support from the Akua Amoaniwaa Legacy Foundation has given my life a new beginning. May God bless them,” she said emotionally.
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