Words and photos by Jon Lloyd

If you ask Francis Asong, Executive Director of VOICE Ghana, the country’s economic development is in peril. As the African country continues to grow economically, he believes it cannot realize the fullest extent of its potential without recognizing that people with disabilities (PWDs) are a critical part of the contribution process. It is all too common that PWDs are overlooked and underserved in Ghana, where Asong leads the VOICE team.

Initially, Asong launched VOICE Ghana with a focus on the northern region of Volta around the town of Ho. Since the organisation’s inception in 2002, it has continued to exercise influence and vision to not only transform Ghana but Western Africa and beyond.

Matthew is a blind person in the Oti District. Several years ago, he spent most of his days in his parent’s house with darkness in his eyes and in his heart. He had little hope and no dreams to speak of. He was depressed. What caused Matthew’s blindness is still a mystery, as he was not born this way. Of the twenty-five people self-help group directed by VOICE Ghana, the majority became blind when they were in their early twenties.

Thankfully, the self-help group and increasing efforts from local government authorities have encouraged greater research into what may have caused the blindness. Yet they’re still trying to understand whether or not sudden blindness can be directly related to any traceable environmental factor.

Aware of the importance and impact of self-help groups, the VOICE Ghana team provides training and support to enhance the creation of community-based self-help groups in various villages across the country. For a country that's approximately the same size as Britain or the state of Michigan, almost 80 per cent of the population lives outside the three largest cities, which largely rely on an agricultural economy.

But nothing slowed Matthew down once he was able to give agency to his own voice. With the support from VOICE Ghana and the continuous enthusiasm stemming from the group, something changed. He bought a small rice paddy and, in a matter of seven to eight years, he now owns a large rice farm, plantations with cassava, and a home with electricity and access to television broadcasting. The success of his efforts has also allowed him to open a store in town and potentiate his economic success.

Matthew is now commonly referred to as ‘The Chairman’ of the self-help group. His eloquent and gentle way of speaking shows how far he has come—from sheltering himself away from the world in his parent’s home to being an empowered leader in his community.

As Matthew’s story shows, beneficiaries are at the core of the success of VOICE Ghana. Throughout the course of two weeks, PWB photographer Jon Lloyd met dozens of Ghanaians whose life had been changed by their efforts, yet struggled in their day-to-day lives due to inadequate resources for PWDs.

Julius is a government worker in the finance department and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of VOICE Ghana. Julius does not have the use of his legs, and his office is on the second floor of an old concrete building with a gravel drive. To get up the stairs to his office, Julius must crawl up two flights of stairs and return down the same way at the end of his day. The same physical effort is required to go down to the washroom.

VOICE Ghana has lobbied government officials and local engineering offices to ensure they comply with the Accessibility Design Standards. This document was developed by a global body of professional engineers and disability experts, with funding from Star Ghana and the Ford Foundation.

Unfortunately, not much has changed.

Existing buildings continue to lack barrier-free entrances and infrastructure. Lloyd spent some of the days of his project traveling throughout the Volta and Oti Districts visiting new government buildings, police stations, and public markets. No building complied with the Accessibility Standards. The ten-year moratorium on incorporating these standards expired in 2016, and new projects must follow the standards or face lawsuits and financial implications.

“There has been some effort to comply,” says Charles Nyante, Programs Manager for VOICE Ghana. “But the reality is that they have failed. To correct what they’ve done will cost significantly more than if they would have done it right from the start.”

Even though Ghana’s engineers are supposed to be taught the accessibility standards in school and the local districts hire only certified engineers, there is little improvement in accessibility for PWDs. Unfortunately, the engineers and supporting county offices don't enforce the mandatory architectural standards. In many cases, this is because accessibility ramps use more material and require more space than the traditional building methods, such as a normal set of stairs.

As Matthew and Asong can attest, neither was born with their respective disabilities. Asong says, “Disabilities can come later in life for many reasons. Besides, why would a ramp not be preferred for someone walking into a hospital that is elderly or pregnant?” Indeed, whether it is a ramp, wider doorway or support in a toilet, there are many people who are not traditionally considered disabled that would benefit.

If you ask Asong what he dreams about at night, he shares big ambitions. Francis says, “Our plan currently is to transform VOICE Ghana into a Disability Institute and to establish a Think-Tank with a team of experts and professionals in disability to engage in disability-related research and capacity building. The Institute will play an active and leading role in policy advocacy and inclusive governance for marginalized and socially excluded persons with disabilities in Ghana, across Africa and globally.” Getting around in Ghana may be difficult for Asong, but it is not slowing him down in his quest for inclusion in his hometown of Ho—and what he sees as an economic driver for an entire continent.

For more information on Voice Ghana, visit their website to discover the organisation's current initiatives and support their important work.

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