ODRO'S Foundation has continued its 16-year commitment to supporting persons living with disabilities in Cape Coast by distributing mobility aids, assistive devices, and educational support materials to promote independence, dignity, and inclusion.

The 2026 intervention comprises 13 wheelchairs, two walkers, four crutches, one pair of callipers, 30 spare wheelchair tyres, 20 walking-stick rubber tips, 20 mattresses and 20 “chopboxes,” as they are locally referred to.

The mattresses and chopboxes are intended to support children with disabilities pursuing Senior High School education by providing essential items that make their time away from home more comfortable and manageable.

Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), Maame Samma Peprah, who has joined her father in sustaining the initiative, said the support was about more than providing physical items.

“For us, this is about dignity, independence and ensuring that persons living with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in society.

"A wheelchair, a pair of crutches or even a mattress for a student may seem like a simple item, but for the beneficiary, it can make a significant difference in their daily life and ability to pursue their aspirations,” she said.

She added that the continued support reflected a commitment to ensuring that persons living with disabilities, particularly young people, were not excluded from opportunities in education and community life.

“We are proud to continue what started 16 years ago, but we also recognise that the work must continue. Inclusion requires sustained commitment, partnerships and a willingness to respond to the actual needs of people,” Mrs Peprah said.

The initiative traces its roots to Victoria Park in Cape Coast in 2010, when members of the disability community participating in sporting activities appealed for assistance to acquire equipment that would enable them to participate more fully in sports and community life.

That request set in motion a partnership involving Albert Barton Odro, Principal Lecturer in Mental Health Studies at Middlesex University in London; his neighbour in the United Kingdom, Mr Nesad Causevic, a specialist in wheelchair engineering; and Alhaji Meffle, former Regional Manager of NITA Central and former patron of persons with disabilities, who has served as Chairman of the initiative since its inception.

Through Mr Causevic’s support, wheelchairs no longer required by users in the UK were sourced, collected and shipped to Ghana, with the first major consignment comprising 13 wheelchairs and 100 spare wheels for repairs and maintenance.

What began as a response to a request at Victoria Park has since evolved into an enduring partnership focused on improving mobility, education and the general wellbeing of persons living with disabilities.

The initiative has been sustained through the contributions of the Odro family and its longstanding partners, with ODRO'S FOUNDATION continuing the work by expanding support beyond mobility equipment to include educational and other essential items.

The foundation says the 2026 intervention reflects its broader commitment to inclusion, dignity, independence and equal opportunity, particularly for persons who face barriers to education, mobility and participation in community life.

The support is intended not only to meet immediate needs but also to help beneficiaries pursue their education and participate more fully in society.

With the latest distribution, ODRO'S Foundation is reaffirming a commitment that began with a simple appeal at Victoria Park in 2010.

Sixteen years later, the initiative continues to bring together family, longstanding partners and members of the disability community in a shared effort to ensure that persons living with disabilities are supported to live with greater dignity, independence and opportunity.