Autism Ambassadors of Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation, led by Ms Alice Mamaga Akosua Amoako, on Friday launched the Autism Aid App Version 2.0 to help improve lives of children living with autism through technology.
The Autism Aid App is the first Android application for children living with Autism in Ghana and West-Africa that will help create more awareness and also enhance Autism therapy and help interaction for persons living with the disability to be able to conform to society without stress.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the communications of persons with other people and also affects their senses.
Ms Amoako said the Autism Aid App provides a helpline service for families of children living with Autism to get information from professionals on how to care for their children.
She said the Autism Aid App also provided a Picture Exchange Communication System for children living with Autism and provided an Awareness platform for society to learn more about Autism.
She said the Autism Aid App began in 2014 when the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana emerged the co-winners of the Tigo Digital Changemakers Competition, adding that it provided the project with funding and other support from Reach for Change to fully implement the Autism Aid App in Ghana.
Ms Amoako said the future of the Autism Aid App was to implement it in all the 193 UN member countries in the world.
‘’It is time for all of us to accept children living with Autism in the society and give them the adequate resources needed to help them live an enabling life, that is why the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana is introducing to you the Autism Aid App.
‘’For us Autism Ambassadors of Ghana, our most cherished asset is the education and improved life of children living with autism and so we give them our best. We, therefore, strategise and develop programmes to suit their interest’’, she said.
Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, who was the special guest of honour, commended the Autism Ambassadors for their initiative to help provide assistance to children living with Autism.
She expressed the optimism that the app would provide data on how to assist stakeholders and government to provide the needed support.
She said government would invest in social protection and accessibility schemes that would ensure the development of the full potentials of those persons to ensure they earned sustainable incomes and their easy integration into the society.
Mrs Ampofo explained that there were many parents who were keeping their autistic children at home for fear of being stigmatised and urged such parents to send their children for the necessary medical attention.
Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts also commended the Ambassadors and called for the support of individuals, philanthropists, and institutions to go to their aid to help develop the children.
As part of the event, five children made up of three girls and two boys living with autism were unveiled as the Global Icon of the Autism Aid App.
Download the Autism Aid App from the Google Play Store or dial 80024# on any network to get access to support services for children with Autism.
Source: GNA