John  Avoka  is  a  physically  challenged  client  of  the  Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation(CBR) Programme. He hails from Kugzua community within the Tempane District of the Upper East Region of Northern Ghana.

John  was  born  about  43 years  ago  without  any  form  of  impairment  or disability. At age five, he became physically impaired through osteomyelitis. Soon after  sustaining  the  disability, he  was  neglected  and  was  never  sent  to school by his parents who were poor peasant farmers. As negative social attitudes towards persons with disabilities was a canker in his community, he was stigmatized and mistreated by his family and community members. Thus, the economic and social environment within which John grew were characterized by extreme poverty, discrimination and social exclusion.

Indeed, when he was identified by the CBR field workers some few years ago, the immediate assessment revealed that he was isolated and his basic needs were essentially unmet as he depended solely on his parents who did not have enough resources to fend for him. He was subsequently registered under the CBR programme for intervention. The programme immediately offered him a tricycle and training to facilitate his mobility. His  family and  community  members   also  received  sensitization  about  the  need  for  his  care  and  integration  to  enable  him  unearth  his  potentials  and realize  them  to the  fullest in consonance with the provisions of the Ghana Disability Law ( Act 715 of 2006). The  results  was positive   as he began  receiving  necessary  support  and  attention  from  his  family  and community.  

The CBR programme subsequently offered to train him in agricultural production skills. He was first trained in climate resilient gardening skills and supported to establish a survival yard (fenced garden with irrigation facility). He received the support of his family and community members to engage in vegetables production to boost livelihoods. He later was trained and supported with inputs to engage in maize production.  Also, the CBR programme  supported him  with  a  donkey  cart  which  is  used to transport  farm inputs  and produce . He is presently a lucrative    maize farmer   and a gardener, earning over 40 bags (4000kg) of maize   per annum alongside vegetables. His  achievement  caught  the  attention   of  the  Ministry  of  Food  and  Agriculture (MOFA)  and  he  was  chosen  on two occasions  for   awards  by  government as a distinguished farmer with disability at Ghana National Farmers’ Day Awards. He is economically independent, earns the respect of his family /community members and well integrated. He is married to a beautiful non-disabled lady and they have two issues; he receives the support of his hardworking wife to continue with his economic activities through which he earns decent livelihoods and enjoying a fulfilling live. He had this to say during a monitoring visit:  “I can’t thank the CBR programme team and their partners enough. I have never remained the same since I came into contact with them. Their life-changing interventions have brought hope and turned my life around”.