Kofi David has no legs. He has no father. But on Monday, he had something many take for granted: a chance to attend senior high school.
The 19-year-old amputee from Dorimon in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region lost both legs years ago following a tragic electrocution incident.
The loss of his father left him in the care of his extended family, particularly his uncle, who describes the cost of his upkeep as “really our struggle”.
Yet, Kofi refused to give up. He enrolled in school, sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and passed, earning admission to study Computer Hardware. His dream is to become a website designer and consultant.
What could have ended his academic journey was a lack of support. According to his teacher, several appeals to individuals and institutions yielded no results.
That changed when former Wa West District Chief Executive Adamu Dasaan intervened. Mr Dasaan, who also serves as the Coordinator for the Upper West Free SHS programme, bought all the items on Kofi’s prospectus, from a chop box and mattress to provisions. He also personally drove Kofi from Dorimon to Wa and then to the school.
At the Wa Technical Institute, they were warmly received by the Principal, Mr Saaka Adams, who announced a major relief for Kofi.
“The school is waiving 18 items for him because he is a disabled person. All other items that he is supposed to bring which are not found in the box, the school will take up,” Mr Adams stated.
According to the Principal, items such as brooms, cutlasses and hoes have been waived because Kofi cannot weed or sweep.
“There are eighteen items that we are waiving just to encourage other parents who have similar children to bring them to Wa Technical Institute,” he said.
Mr Adams said the decision was in line with Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) policy, which promotes inclusivity, stressing that “disability is not inability”.
“If somebody doesn’t have legs, it doesn’t mean the person cannot think, cannot write. So disability is not inability,” the Principal said.
He cited the example of a former student with a disability who studied Computer Hardware and completed the programme with flying colours, earning a laptop at a school assembly.
“We will do equally for my brother who unfortunately lost all his legs. That is not his fault; it is nature. All of us can be in the same position. So we are going to take good care of him,” he assured.
He, however, appealed to the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals to support the school with disability-friendly infrastructure.
“Our buildings are not suitable for these disabled people. If the government can come in to give us special buildings for such people, friendly buildings where they can easily use the wheelchair to climb,” he pleaded.
Kofi’s uncle, Tenye Denye, expressed gratitude to the former DCE, saying the family had faced enormous challenges in caring for him.
“I’m grateful to the former DCE for coming to the aid of Kofi because this is really our struggle,” he said.
The story has also become a source of inspiration for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Dorimon.
“I’m a differently abled person. I want to thank the former DCE for coming to the aid of Kofi. May God replenish whatever he has given. Just go to the school; colleagues will take care of you. When I was going to school, my only difficulty was the building,” one PWD said.
Another young person urged the public not to attribute Kofi’s condition to spiritual causes.
“It’s natural. It can happen to anybody. You should not think that it is somebody who did it to him or enemies,” he said.
Despite reporting to school, Kofi still faces challenges. His family and teachers are appealing for a standard wheelchair and a laptop computer to support his IT studies.