How We Help
What we do
Speech Therapy Services
In Ghana, accessing high-quality speech and language therapy remains a significant challenge. Through four years of dedicated education, research, and collaboration with experts locally and internationally, Affinity Access international has discovered that the demand for speech therapy extends far beyond the Families from the middle and upper classes. Families from underprivileged in society also require our assistance.
In response to this realization, AAI has introduced the ‘TT Effect’ concept. This innovative approach recognizes that transformation in the underserved field of speech and language therapy can only occur through intentional fundraising efforts. Simply put, ‘one paid therapy session covers three children in need’ of our services.
This approach creates a win-win situation where those who can afford private therapy sessions support those who cannot, thus creating a positive impact for all. At Affinity Access International, we have developed a unique 1-for-2 model. For every therapy session booked by a private client, we leverage the funds to provide the same quality service to two children from impoverished backgrounds who lack access to such resources.
Additionally, our private clinic, now located in Kumasi, offers more than just speech therapy. Through our innovative approach, we also provide free physical therapy in outreach locations, offering essential support to underserved communities.
Private Therapy Services
Training Services
At AAI, we are committed to not only providing high-quality speech and language therapy but also to training local stakeholders, including specialists, parents or guardians, and patients. Recognizing the wide gap in access to specialists and the need for specialized skills, we offer a range of training sessions, including workshops, seminars, roundtable events, classroom exercises, and simulations.
Through partnerships with experts abroad, we ensure that our training programs are up to date with the latest developments in the field, equipping local professionals with the necessary skills to serve individuals with special needs effectively.
Awareness and Advocacy Campaign
On December 3rd, designated by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), we celebrate the contributions and potential of all children with disabilities worldwide. As an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with special needs, AAI deeply resonates with UNICEF’s mission to create a world where children and youth with disabilities can thrive—growing up healthy, educated, protected from harm, heard, and engaged in their communities.
This fundamental goal, to promote the rights of every child and ensure that no one is left behind, is wholeheartedly embraced by the AAI team. We actively engage in both digital and
community-based advocacy efforts. Each year, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, AAI spearheads the ETA (Empowering through Accessibility) campaign. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of accessibility for children and young people with disabilities, advocating for inclusive environments that foster their growth and success.
Capacity Building Programs
At AAI, we understand that empowering individuals with special needs goes beyond providing therapy; it requires equipping them with essential skills that foster independence and self-confidence. Our commitment extends to organizing well-tailored programs designed to meet the unique needs of each individual. These programs focus on practical skill development, offering hands-on training including vocational training, social interaction, and daily living activities.
Additionally, AAI recognizes the importance of building the capacity of caregivers, parents, educators, and local professionals. We offer comprehensive training sessions, workshops, and seminars aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge required to support individuals with special needs effectively. Through these initiatives, AAI ensures that everyone involved in the care and development of individuals with special needs is well-prepared to contribute to their growth and well-being.
Our programs are continuously updated with the latest best practices and techniques, ensuring that we provide the most relevant and impactful training possible. By investing in skill development and training, AAI aims to create a more inclusive and supportive environment where individuals with special needs can thrive and reach their full potential.
ETA Campaign
At AAI, our commitment to awareness and advocacy extends throughout the year, with a particular focus on digital platforms. However, in honor of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, our team organizes a comprehensive ETA (Empowering Through Accessibility) campaign. This campaign encompasses various activities, including:
- Roundtable discussions with stakeholders
- In-person and virtual workshops on disability rights and inclusion
- Fundraising drives to support our programs and initiatives.
- “Accessibility” challenges to raise awareness about barriers faced by individuals with disabilities.
- Commemorative walks to promote unity and solidarity within our communities.
These events serve as powerful platforms for dialogue, education, and action, fostering greater understanding and support for individuals with special needs.
By The Numbers
Our Impact spans across our many offerings
Therapy Services
- 250+ therapy sessions conducted monthly
- 70% of participants demonstrated improved communication and motor skills
Education Programs
- Over 1,500 children and adults from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in special needs schools and after-school programs supported and organized by AAI respectively
- 52% of students showed significant improvement in academic performance
- 77% of adults joined vocational training programs to learn a skill to start up or work with enterprising local businesses
Training Services
- 550 individuals including caregivers, clinical staff and local therapists trained with AAI
- 60% of caregivers improved caregiving practices for their children or the children they support
- 45% of clinical staff enhanced their skills for service delivery
- 70% of trainees secured employment or started their own businesses
Community Outreach
- Reached 2,000+ community members through advocacy and awareness programs.
- Educated 90% of community members to celebrate the contributions and potentials of children with special needs
- Identified 88% of individuals with special needs to provide therapy from our mobile clinics
- Distributed 1,200 wheelchairs and mobility aids to local clinics and families
Make a Difference
Transform Lives with Your Support
Therapy Matters
UNICEF estimates that approximately 240 million children worldwide live with various disabilities. These children, like all others, harbor ambitions and dreams for a better future. Access to adequate and quality education is pivotal in unlocking these aspirations. However, children with disabilities are often marginalized in policymaking processes. This unfortunate oversight restricts their access to education and limits their participation in social, economic, and political spheres. They are more likely to be excluded from schooling and face formidable barriers due to discrimination, stigma, and the absence of appropriate disability services within educational institutions.
Persons with disabilities are featured in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda, or global goals. Specific references are made to education, economic growth, employment, inequality reduction, accessibility of human settlements, and data collection and Monitoring. SDG 3 underscores the necessity to “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” In Ghana, as in many developing countries, the minority often find themselves at the bottom rung in terms of healthcare access or lack the means to maintain good health. SDG 4 emphasizes inclusive, equitable education and lifelong learning opportunities, aiming to eliminate gender disparities and ensure equal access for all, including persons with disabilities. It also calls for the upgrading of educational facilities to be child, disability, and gender-sensitive, providing safe, inclusive learning environments.
Moreover, Goal 8 advocates for sustained, inclusive economic growth and decent work for all, including persons with disabilities, ensuring equal pay for equal work. SDG 10 aims to reduce inequality by empowering and promoting the inclusion of all individuals, including those with
disabilities. Goal 17 underscores the importance of data collection and monitoring to effectively implement the SDGs, calling for enhanced capacity-building to increase the availability of disaggregated disability data.
Article 25.1(a) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states, “All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities, and with a view to achieving the full realization of that right, basic education shall be free, compulsory, and available to all.
Furthermore, prior engagements in Ghana with stakeholders by the Affinity Access International (AAI) team on issues regarding individuals with special needs reveal:
- Individuals living with special needs are often marginalized by society, leading guardians or parents to conceal them. Some are subject to abuse or even killed based on certain cultural beliefs. Additionally, poor parents are often ostracized and treated with disdain.
- Therapy is prohibitively expensive and is primarily accessible to the middle and upper classes.
- There exists a substantial access gap in specialized care for individuals with special needs.
- The available specialists lack the necessary knowledge and skills required to adequately cater to these individuals.
- There is a lack of specialized local centers equipped to consistently offer the best services at an affordable price for all.
