At the School for the Deaf, the First Lady presented 50 dining tables, 100 benches, 15 bags of rice, five bags of sugar, 10 boxes of sanitary pads, five boxes of Alltime Chocolate drink and 10 boxes of Samaritan purse.

The Akropong School for the Blind received 378 mackintosh covered student mattresses, 15 bags of rice, five bags of sugar, 10 boxes of sanitary pads, five boxes of Altime Chocolate drink and 10 boxes of Samaritan purse.

The First Lady said the donations were in response to an earlier appeal made by the schools to her on some of their pressing needs.

She assured both schools that she would use the Rebecca Foundation to try and provide them some of their needs.

Mrs Akufo-Addo said although the government was doing its best to provide them with their needs, there was still the need for the public, as well as corporate organisations, to also assist such deprived and vulnerable institutions.

She said the government was determined to make a difference in their lives, adding, “I promise you that this government will not fail you.”

School for the Deaf

The Assistant Headmaster of the Demonstration School for the Deaf, Mr Goodluck Akufo Kpeli, said the school, with a population of 409 pupils and students between the ages of four and 24 years, had needed to complete a new dormitory block to aid in decongestion, complete the construction of an assembly hall and an ICT centre.

He added that they needed a photocopier and a generator.

“Presently the school is congested and, therefore, we are not able to admit many people to the school,” Mr Kpeli stated.

Appeal for help

At Akropong, the Headmistress, Mrs Mahela Narh, also thanked the First Lady for the donation.

She enumerated some of the problems facing the school, including the invasion of their dormitories by bedbugs.

Mrs Narh thanked the First Lady for presenting each student with a mattress and appealed to the government to employ more staff for the smooth running of the school.

She stressed that the school needed security personnel, surrogate mothers, a labourer and a doctor at its clinic.