ABOUT |

ABOUT US

Introduction:

Voice of People with Disability Ghana (VOICE GHANA) is a registered nonprofit, Ghanaian non-governmental organization with Charity No: G -10, 042 and DSW/5710. The organization was set up in July 2002 as an NGO managed for and by people with disabilities. We promote access to quality education for children with disabilities and work as a capacity building organization for all disability self-help groups and disabled people’s organisations at the grassroots level in Ghana. Our special focus is on people with disabilities who have no or limited access to education, perhaps because of their gender, or live in remote areas or are extremely poor.

We have 62 community based cross disability Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the Volta Region as members.

Our mission is "to improve, through capacity development and partnerships with all actors, the lives of people with disabilities at the grassroots to take charge of their lives and to achieve their true potentials”.

The aims and objectives of VOICE GHANA include:

1. To train, support and empower people with disabilities at grassroots level to form cross disability Self Help Groups (SHGs).

2. To inform people with disabilities about their rights to appropriate healthcare, welfare, education and employment.

3. To work in collaboration with other Civil Society Organisations and organizations of people with disabilities as well as with the political and administrative systems to enhance the work of VOICE GHANA.

4. To campaign both locally and nationally to ensure that the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) and Policies on Disability are implemented.

5. To promote legislation, declarations and conventions regarding Disability, Gender, Race, Tribes, and Religion that ensures that the rights of people with disabilities are upheld at all times.

Our Core Beliefs and Values:

VOICE Ghana will ground its work in a commitment to:

Equity – because we believe that the rights of people must be respected including everyone’s ability to exercise fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Partnership - because we value partnerships based on honesty and respect.

Commitment - because we value openness to learning and acts that are in the best interest of persons with disabilities.

Teamwork - because we believe that by working together we can tap into and share knowledge and skills to achieve more positive change.

Diversity - because we believe and respect cross cultural differences and understandings.

Integrity - because we believe in pursuing our mission and vision with commitment, fairness and discipline at all times.

Our Structure:

1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The AGM is the Highest Authority of the organisation and it consists of all members present at the meeting. The AGM is responsible for approving the policy of the organisation: the Constitution, Strategic Plan, Annual Report, Audited Accounts including the values and principles of VOICE GHANA and the election of Board members.

2. Governance

VOICE GHANA is governed by a 9 member Executive Board, six (6) of whom were elected by the general membership at the AGM with three (3) co-opted by the Board. The Board elects their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and a Treasurer. The Board is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed upon at the AGM, the principles of VOICE GHANA as well as the Strategic Plan. Each Board member is voted into office for 4 years and is eligible for a maximum of 2 terms in office.

The Board has Sub-Committees namely: Finance Sub Committee, Policy & Resources Sub Committee and Fundraising Sub Committee. We also have two (2) Special Committees namely: Special Committee on Intellectual Disability and Special Committee on Hearing Impairment.

3. The Secretariat

All activities of the organisation are coordinated from the Secretariat which is based at Ho in the Volta Region of Ghana. The day-to-day management of the activities of the secretariat is supervised by the Director. The Secretariat is managed by a three member management team comprising of the Director, the Programme Coordinator and the Finance/Administrative Officer.

Social Equity and Gender of VOICE GHANA:

As a rights-based organisation, we promote inclusion for all and champions gender equality as thematic focus. Our staff, board and membership constitution requires an appropriate gender balance and our programme delivery are gender focused.

Programs & Activities:

VOICE GHANA’s activities are wide ranging and incorporate gender equality, human rights education/empowerment, advocacy and lobbying, reproductive health education/awareness, inclusive education, community based rehabilitation including the formation and training of grassroot disability Self Help Groups, HIV/AIDS education and awareness and referral for corrective surgery and mobility rehabilitation.

The organisation also works with District Assemblies and local government agencies including a number of Civil Society Oganisations to advance the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Networks and Collaborations:

VOICE GHANA is a member of Inclusion Ghana, Local Governance Network (LoGNET); Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC), and Ghana Social Accountability Network (GSAN). We learn and share with these networks and involve some of them in our programme delivery to maximize the impact of our work. VOICE GHANA is also a participant of the National Disability Network Meetings, coordinated by the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) in Accra and the Focal Organisation for coordinating Governance Issues Forum (GIF) Network activities in the Ho Municipality. GIF comprises over 30 CSOs and is spearheaded by IDEG to deepen democratic governance through active civic participation in the Ho municipality.

VOICE GHANA is also a Focal Organization for Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition for coordinating their Anti-Corruption Network activities in the Volta Region.

VOICE GHANA also works with a number of educational institutions at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels, and collaborates with the Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service - Volta Regional Directorate to promote access to inclusive and special education for children with disabilities and champions their integration with non-disabled children in the mainstream school system. We also developed a working link with the Non-Formal Education Division and the Health Services.

VOICE GHANA Strategic Goals: 2014-2018:

The underlying vision of our 5-Years Strategic Plan is to accelerate gains made and start developing the organisation into "a leading Disability Rights and Advocacy Think Tank" in Ghana.

Our Research Unit:

Our Research & Consultancy Unit is focused on carrying out evidenced based research on social issues concerning persons with disabilities to inform our engagement with duty bearers and state apparatus at both local and national levels for positive change.

We are currently developing a Protocol to establish the Research & Consultancy Unit with a team of disability experts and professional to among others,

1. Develop variety of training modules for professional capacity building on disability to CSOs, State Agencies, Businesses, Industries and Corporate Bodies etc. for a fee;

2. Offer professional advice to Owners of Public Building, Architects, and Contractors to keep and maintain accessibility standards for persons with disabilities.

The Unit is also interested in liaising or collaborating with any Civil Society Organisation, Donor Partner, Research Institution, Corporate Body and University in Ghana and abroad for any disability related research etc.

Interested organisations can download and complete this Partners’ Application Form to us or send us a quick email through: info@voiceghana.org | voiceghana1@gmail.com

We shall publish full information about the Unit including its faculty members once it is set-up.

Source of Funding:

VOICE GHANA’s main sources of income include donor funding for projects, membership dues and donations from friends of VOICE GHANA. There has been a steady growth in donor funding and activities of the organisation over the years. However, because donor funding is not always sustainable, VOICE GHANA’s principle now is to become self-reliant through income generating activity so that we do not rely only on donor funding.

Location Address:

Adjacent Ho Municipal Teachers’ Resource Centre,

Near World Vision Premises,

Ho-Kpodzi.

Volta Region.

Ghana, West Africa

Postal Address:

P.O. Box HP 843,

Ho. Volta Region

Ghana, West Africa

Tel: 0233 (3620) 25326

Fax: 0233 (3620) 27892