Ghana Together News Updates: Way to go Emmanuella and George--Western Heritage Home Scholar Graduates!!

Graduating Junior High School when your home town is Axim, Ghana is no small accomplishment!

Just this month, Emmanuella graduated from the School for the Deaf and Blind in Cape Coast and George graduated from Manye Academy in Axim.

And they not only graduated, but they found out just yesterday they did so well on their final “BECE” exam that they qualify for Senior High School! No mean feat in Ghana, where the slots for Senior High are limited. A high level of scholastic achievement and strong test scores are required to qualify.

New JHS graduates Emmanuella and George, Sept 29, 2016

Queen Mother Nana Adjow Sika II has taken special interest in all the Western Heritage Home scholars, and especially in Emmanuella.

She has supported Emmanuella emotionally, and has encouraged her at every step.

Nana is a founding member of the Western Heritage Board and continues to serve.

Queen Mother Nana Adjow Sika II congratulating her protégé (Sept 2016)

In her early childhood, Emmanuella was given the opportunity to live at the Western Heritage Children's Home. She needed special care due to her early onset of Stargardt Disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration. At this point she is legally blind.

George also spent his early years at the Western Heritage Children's Home, due to difficult home circumstances.

Emmanuella and George both attended Manye Academy in Axim early on. George continued there, but about five years ago, Emmanuella had to be transferred to the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind.

Emmanuella and George, both Western Heritage Home Scholars, and also age-mates and school-mates. George is showing her how to use the magnifier we brought from the US so she could work with an XO children's computer.

George in 2007

Saturday chores at the Western Heritage Home

George the scholar and also a guy who loves sports!

When Western Heritage Home phased out their residential program, George moved into the Manye Academy Dormitory.

We have provided for his tuition, room, board, and personal supplies during his entire school years and will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, Emmanuella transferred to the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind. The school supports her tuition, room and board, but we help out with clothing, personal supplies, traveling back and forth to Axim during vacations, etc.

Emmanuella and Maryanne Ward at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind

Emmanuella is well-known in Axim for her musical talents, especially singing! She sings at special services in her church and at community events.

At her school in Cape Coast, she sang the Ghanaian National Anthem during the March 6 Independence Day celebrations (with a microphone she said!). And she told us that since the blind students can hear her sing, they dance with her; the deaf students can see the blind students dance and join in. This celebration was actually featured on Ghana TV!

Emmanuella singing at the dedication of the Chief's donation of a television to the Community Center. Western Heritage Home's James Kainyiah is offering a little support!
His motto is "Making leaders of the least!" and so he has.

Emmnanuella managed in August to take her final exams by reading some of the test at very close range, especially the math, and also by having some of the test read to her and she could answer orally. She can read Braille.

So what's next for these two scholars?

George’s dream is to attend a vocational high school and learn welding.

Emmanuella's dream is to return to her Cape Coast School and earn her SHS high school degree.

We're going to love helping them do just that!!

For prior News Updates, http://ghanatogether.blogspot.com/

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