Two children with disabilities in Savelugu benefit from Dagbon Union in UK

The Dagbon Union UK known as DUUK formed in 2012 as a community-based organisation made up of natives(Dagombas) of the Dagbon Kingdom based in the United Kingdom(UK) has offered help to their people in Ghana.

The Union since its establishment has embarked on several philanthropic works back home in the northern region of Ghana.

Recent amongst them is that of Two disabled children from Savelugu the capital of the Savelugu Municipality in the Northern Region whom have been granted sponsorship under the Children sponsorship Program of the Union.

Below Is The Full Statement

DAGBON UNION UK(DUUK) -CHILD SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME: SPONSORSHIP FOR TWO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES FROM SAVELUGU, NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA.

The Dagbon Union UK(DUUK) known as DUUK was formed in 2012 as a community-based organisation made up of natives(Dagombas) of the Dagbon Traditional area of northern Ghana residing in the UK.

In 2018 DUUK’s application to Charity Commission for England and Wales was successful and thereafter DUUK started operating as a charity in the UK and subsequently extended its operations to Ghana.

Mission Statement:

“To relieve poverty, promote and protect good health; to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded; meeting the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.

For the furtherance of this mission, “social exclusion” means being excluded from society or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment, financial hardship, immigration (for young or old age), ill-health(physical or mental), substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, sexuality, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing(that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards; crime(either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating back into society)”.

One of DUUK’s flagship projects in Ghana is Child Sponsorship for children and families in need. DUUK believes in the UK government policy – Every Child Matters: The five outcomes identified are; children being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being (DfES, 2003 p 19).

Following a clarion call by Sangani TV (Tamale based Television Station) and other public-spirited persons and organisations making a public appeal for support for the two brothers with profound physical disabilities, DUUK responded by offering a comprehensive sponsorship package to the children and their families. Unlike other benefactors who supported the family in the past, DUUK adopted a different approach- using the UK’s government prescribed Child and Family Assessment Framework or model to carry out a comprehensive assessment of needs of the children and their families.

After identifying the children’s needs and that of their parents, DUUK applied a multi-agency approach to devise a Child In Need Plan or Support Package for the family.

On 19/02/21 DUUK made the parents of boys Mr Abubakari Yusif and Madam Ayisha Abubakar signed a Written Agreement in which - among other things - the parents agreed to desist from sending the boys onto the streets for begging at the expense of their education.

The sponsorship package includes: enrolling the boys into private school- North Community School, where the proprietor of the school, Mr Gyebi Clement waived the school fees as part of the school social responsibility to the community. The Department of Social Welfare also registered the boys for National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).

DUUK provided capital to Madam Ayisha Abubakar to start business; selling water and soft drinks, and donated an electric sewing machine to Mr Abubakari per his request. DUUK also donated scooter(tricycles) to the boys to enhance their mobility and committed to providing monthly remittances to the family for the upkeep of the boys.

The signing ceremony took place at the offices of Savelugu Municipal Executive and present at the ceremony were: Hajia Ayishetu Seidu- Municipal Chief Executive for Savelugu; Mr Twumasi Ankrah- District Police Commander; Alhaji Sani - Social Welfare Officer; Mr Gyebi Clement - Head Teacher of North Community School; Mr Adam Mahfuz- Immigration officer & DUUK’s volunteer; and Mr Eric Kombat - Daily Guide Newspaper reporter.

Hajia Ayishetu presented DUUK’s first monthly remittance to the parents and urged them to respect the terms of the Written Agreement in order to continue getting the support from DUUK.

Mr Ankrah on his part warned the parents and advised them that they could be arrested and prosecuted, if they breach the terms of the Written Agreement.

Alhaji Sani, Mr Clement, Mr Mahfuz and Mr Kombat also pledged to contribute their quotas to ensure that the aims and objectives of the DUUK’s support package to the family are fully realised in the best interest of the boys.