Government-assisted special school, the Akropong School for the Blind in the Eastern Region has received a donation of braille sheets and bags of rice from SMT Ghana to support teaching, learning and student welfare.

The donation forms part of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at promoting inclusive education and supporting vulnerable communities.

According to SMT Ghana, the gesture reflects its corporate values of caring, daring and sharing by creating opportunities and making a positive impact beyond its business operations.

The company's Managing Director, Amaury Lescaux, led the delegation to the school. He was accompanied by Finance Director Afia Owusu Ansah, Aftersales Mining Director Maxwell Mokgolomotho, and Marketing and Communication Director Hilda Peasah.

The SMT Ghana team was welcomed by the school's management, staff, students and members of its donation committee.

During the visit, the Girls' Prefect demonstrated how visually impaired students read and write using braille paper, a slate and a stylus. Members of the delegation also had the opportunity to write in braille, giving them first-hand experience of the learning process for students with visual impairments.

Presenting the items, Mr. Lescaux said education remains one of the most effective tools for transforming lives and should be accessible to every child.

"At SMT Ghana, we believe that education is a powerful tool for transforming lives and should be accessible to every child. We are honoured to support the Akropong School for the Blind with learning materials and food supplies that will contribute to the students' education and well-being," he said.

He also shared the story of Hakim Arezki, a French blind football (Cécifoot) player of Algerian origin, who overcame the loss of his sight to become an international athlete, describing his journey as evidence that disability should not limit one's aspirations.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the school, members of the school's donation committee, Mr. Joseph Sowuh and Mr. Maxwell Asante Oware, expressed gratitude to SMT Ghana for the support.

They said the braille sheets would significantly improve teaching and learning by providing students with essential learning materials, while the bags of rice would strengthen the school's feeding programme and contribute to the students' overall welfare.

The committee described the donation as a demonstration of SMT Ghana's commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility and appealed to other corporate organisations and individuals to emulate the gesture by supporting institutions that provide education and care for persons with disabilities.