An APT Educational 'Push-together' Puzzle

 From Painter to user

 Denise covered the pieces of layered cardboard carefully with brown paper. When they were dry she painted them on one side to make a giraffe picture and on the other side with 1- 5 different insects to help the child learn numbers

Marian took it to help with giving ideas on the APT training - of course it was interesting for the children

Close of training and Opening of Korle Bu APT Workshop

The physiotherapy department with the workshop on its right just a bit behind ...

Jane admiring the balloons and ribbons for Betty's daughter and ready with special clothes for the Opening

People arriving and old friends re-uniting

 Margriet from The Netherlands meeting up with old friend Veronica and daughter, Annet

                                                          Parents coming to support


                                                             





Displays all ready
A standing frame assembled not stuck yet with a stacking toy on the left and an example communication board on the right

Below, a posting box made by Mary from Australia

even the 'dolls-size models' made by Veronica to show potential buyers 

Mr Kombien, The Deputy Head of Admin and Mr Yaadar 

and more physiotherapists arrive, giving their support 

More parents arrive and then the Dignitary, 

Ajaneesh Kumar the India Deputy High Commissioner to Ghana

 After the Opening Prayer, Mr Yaadar, acting Head of the Physiotherapy department spoke, then Jean on behalf of Cerebral Palsy Africa with Veronica translating, then Dorethy, a CPA trained physiotherapist from Military 37 Hospital on why assistive equipment like chairs and standing frames can make make such a positive difference in the lives of children with cerebral palsy and their families

Just have a look -  beautiful, alert, happy little child

 Oh yes - it is good to be able to sit and see what is happening around!

 The ribbon is cut and the Workshop is declared OPEN

 Veronica explaining to people and everyone having a look around

Ronald tested Millicent's elephant stool - see above - it was very strong- and he made a video of the ceremony see:
https://vimeo.com/62497583

 Then after people left, a meeting for the parents and the physiotherapists about the future - it will be a lot of work but they can be such a blessing to other parents and their children with disabilities

 A photo of Jane, Jean and the group of mothers who did the training

Relaxing afterwards !

Chairs emerging despite difficulties

Difficulties:
HEAT, the cost of cassava flour and getting used to using glutinous, jelly-like paste, the HEAT again and frequent stops for feeding babies, finding the boards delaminating and all of us getting lost in translation!
However having felt things were going too slowly, progress is being made. Chatting has been up on the agenda and the mothers experience lots of difficulties, problems with inaccessible public transport, lack of school facilities and general stigma with the most hurtful being suggestions that their child should be taken to the river (left there). We're hoping that a trouble shared is a trouble halved.

There have had discussions on what types of equipment each needs and it has helped to try out the items made by Paper Furniture Enterprise Volunteers

Using a standing frame as a prone board

Trying out the chair - and the new arrangement of straps coming from under the seat of the chair attached to straps from the back of the chai at pelvis level and attaching toegther helping position the pelvis back and down.

 

The early birds getting started on their chairs

5 chairs emerging

Destined to become a a knee-block chair

A reclining chair being strapped for a child who has had an operation for spina bifida

Veronica has been helping this week - it is great to have her chatting with the Mums. Here she is making a small model chair and standing frame to take in her bag to show people what she is doing.

The first chair to get a final layer of brown paper

Baby Boomers in Ghana

We had a lovely Sunday going to church where Veronica's husband in the pastor, seeing the family again and the little one.

Here is Veronica in her Unit . She makes APT items to order, especially for Military 37 and Ridge Hospitals and has been helping others. She made this cot for her baby and used it to take her to church.

Back at the Korle Bu Workshop -

 The training course has started with 6 Mums and almost as many littleones

 All the APT and other little toys we managed to squeeze in are being really appreciated - even the pictures on the sides of the cot.

Teddy is appreciated - note the touching toes

 Richard and Dick's elephant plus Nathan's chair!

Prof Diarra, Paediatrician from Burkina Faso visited and the work was admired.

Preparations for the course

Poster in the Children's Physiotherapy department

A lovely statue to look at in the middle of shopping for a kettle and various small items for the training

After a planning meeting - not a coffee break, a coconut break

Busy preparing items for the training - the new patterns are hanging, ready for action soon

The Carpenter who has been making the tables, Jane and the Security man