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Kyeremaa clearing disability barriers …to win Ghana’s first taekwondo gold from Paralympic Games
Time to do a few stretches
It is exactly seven years ago when a Techiman based disabled seamstress, Ms Patricia Kyerewaa, decided to heed to persuasions from a friend she referred to as ‘Uncle’ (Bro Dan) to begin a career as a para (disabled) taekwondo athlete.
And that has proven to be a decision without regrets although there was an initial rejection from her parents. Now all she enjoys from them is their unwavering support.
It was one afternoon in her shop, working with thread and needles to put together some decent clothes for her customers when Bro Dan came around, asking about her thoughts on a discussion they had previously.
“Is it about the discussion for me to join a taekwondo club?” Kyeremaa quizzed.
And Bro Dan gently responded: “Yes, I have waited for you to call me to let me know your response.”
To Bro Dan’s surprise, Kyeremaa responded in the affirmative and right away, they travelled from Techiman to Sunyani in the Bono region to meet the one who happens to be her current coach, George Ablomoti.
That was the story behind Kyeremaa’s journey in the world of taekwondo as a para athlete.
Just seven years down the line, Kyeremaa is knocking on the doors of fame, having carved a niche for herself as the first and only para taekwondo athlete in Ghana’s Paralympic team for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games that is slated for August 28 to September 8.
For that feat, she gives credit to the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Ghana which applied for the Wild Card on behalf of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) for her and a second athlete, Emmanuel Kofi Turkson.
However, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) approved that of Kyeremaa and failed to grant the request for the other.
As a Person Living with disability (PLWD), Kyeremaa opted to learning a skill to be able to fend for herself after completing Junior High School (JHS) at Akumadan SDA, knowing the challenges one faces as a PLWD in Ghana.
But the busy schedule of an athlete preparing for a competition of this magnitude is not making it possible for her to practise her trade; presently she is in residential camp in Tema.
As it is with every venture, she recounted initial struggles in trying to adapt to the demands of the sport.
“It was quite challenging from the beginning. I was not a sports person and didn’t understand why Bro Dan kept persuading me to become a taekwondo player but with time, I adjusted,” she told this Reporter.
“I feared the sack after the initial struggles but to my knowledge, it was actually the coach who tasked Bro Dan to convince me to join, actually spurred me on; and it is that confidence and hard work that keeps me going.”
“Honestly, I put in all the hard work but was not quite sure where this venture would land me.”
Kyeremaa has gone onto record with a few achievements which she hopes to climax with a gold medal at the upcoming Paralympics in Paris.
The story about her success started with a big bang; registering a gold medal feat in the 2017 edition of the Korea Ambassador Taekwondo Championship among six other contestants.
She continued to dominate in the championship as she won a second gold and silver medals in subsequent championships.
Her dominance extended to the Africa region where she recorded Ghana’s first gold medal at the Africa Championship, Niger 2022, bringing home a medal and a beautiful trophy.
That earned the 29-year-old athlete qualification to the France Grand Prix in 2022 but out of the huge numbers, she placed a respectable ninth position.
That was, however, not her biggest disappointment. Failure to qualify to the Paralympics 2024 championship via the regular route still hunts her.
In all that she has achieved in the sport, the support she keeps enjoying from officials, family, coach and fans has kept her at the top.
“For my family, I am grateful to them. They were initially against it but now they are convinced I am on the right path. Through para taekwondo, I have travelled to Accra, France, Niger, Senegal and still going,” she remarked.
“The Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) board spearheaded by Mr Frederick Lartey Otu, a Chief Revenue Officer with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the para taekwondo sub-committee chaired by Rev. Samuel Annor cannot be left out. They have played instrumental roles in my development,” she added.
For the future, she sees it as quite encouraging although she would quit to marry her sweetheart at some point and focus on family life.
In her view, sports financing has been left on the shoulders of individuals like the various federation heads and that is not good enough.
For her fellow disabled, Kyeremaa believes there is so much they can do to stay relevant in order to make them useful to the society.
“Until I started taekwondo, I didn’t know sports accommodates people with disabilities. The same thing is happening with other disciplines so I want to encourage other disabled people to engage in sports. They should identify the discipline with interest and get on board,” she noted.
“So, instead of making themselves burdens on society and families, they should strive to do something positive with their lives because disability must not mean the end of the world for them.”
By Andrew Nortey
AUTISM Awareness Care and Training (AACT) is Ghana’s first autism-focused centre, playing a pioneering role in the care, education, and advocacy for children on the autism spectrum and their families.
Established in 1998, AACT began as a parent-support and training initiative at a time when autism was poorly understood in Ghana. Many families raising autistic children faced stigma, isolation, and limited access to information or professional assistance.
Over the years, the organisation has evolved into a full-fledged autism care and training centre, responding to the growing demand for specialised services and sustained nationwide awareness.
AACT is currently located in Haatso, Accra, where it operates a structured day programme serving about 25 learners daily. The centre provides a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where children with autism are guided to develop essential life, social, and functional skills.
Programmes at the centre focus on independent living skills, vocational and pre-vocational training, functional academic skills, and therapeutic interventions. These activities are tailored to the individual needs of each learner, recognising that children on the autism spectrum learn and develop at different paces.
According to Abeiku Grant, Head of Programmes at AACT, the centre’s philosophy is centred on ability rather than limitation.
“Every autistic child is different,” he said. “Our work is to support them at their own pace and help them discover what they can do, not to focus on what they cannot do.”
Beyond centre-based services, AACT places strong emphasis on autism awareness and advocacy, particularly within schools and communities. Many children with autism in Ghana continue to face rejection and exclusion due to stigma, misinformation, and the lack of trained personnel in educational institutions.
In 2025, AACT reached over 20 schools across the country, providing autism education to teachers, students, and school administrators.
The organisation also runs free teacher training programmes, equipping educators with practical knowledge and basic tools to support autistic learners in inclusive classroom settings.
“Many schools tell us they are not resourced or trained to handle autistic learners,” Mr Grant explained. “Instead of waiting for change, we decided to go to them and train teachers for free.”
AACT also engages learners directly, addressing widespread misconceptions about autism, including the false belief that autism is contagious or caused by bad parenting. These outreach programmes aim to build empathy among students and promote peer support for autistic learners in mainstream schools.
Another major challenge confronting families is limited access to autism services, especially outside Accra. With most autism centres concentrated in the capital, many families from other regions are forced to travel long distances or keep their children at home due to cost, stigma, or lack of support.
“Education is not meant only for typical children,” Mr Grant stressed. “Children with autism also have the right to education and care. No child should be hidden because of lack of understanding or opportunity.”
As part of its outreach work, AACT supports parents to overcome stigma and encourages social interaction for children with autism, believing that community engagement is essential for development and confidence building.
In December 2025, the centre received what it described as its largest donation of the year, raised by children from the Unmasked Mentoring initiative. According to the organisation, the donation was particularly significant as it demonstrated empathy and social responsibility among young people.
As a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, AACT depends largely on donations, partnerships, and goodwill to sustain and expand its work. Current needs include a minibus for community-based social activities, expansion of its facility to accommodate more learners, sponsorship support for children from financially challenged families, and funding to scale autism awareness programmes nationwide.
Looking ahead, AACT envisions a Ghanaian society that is inclusive, informed, and supportive of persons with autism.
“Our goal is a Ghana where children with autism are accepted and supported,” Mr Grant said. “Every child has potential. All they need is understanding, opportunity, and care.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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If you found yourself in Tamale last weekend, you would have stepped into an atmosphere alive with colour, rhythm and memory. The maiden Northern Ghana FOTO Festival did not feel like a typical exhibition; it felt like a cultural awakening.
Between rows of tall white panels displaying hundreds of striking images, a cultural troupe danced their way through the space, their drumming rolling through the hall like a heartbeat. The dancers’ movements fluid, bold, traditional, created a living bridge between the past and the photographs surrounding them.
Not far from the performers, chiefs in their elegant traditional regalia paused thoughtfully before portraits capturing festivals, rituals and everyday life. This immersive scene set the tone for the Northern Ghana FOTO Festival, which opened in Tamale with a resounding call for cultural preservation through visual storytelling.
The event gathered photographers, cultural advocates, scholars and traditional leaders to celebrate the narratives, traditions and identities that shaped northern Ghana. Originally launched with a call for just 30 photographic entries, organisers were overwhelmed with more than 600 images submitted by over 60 contributors from across the five northern regions.
The range of submissions from seasoned photographers and emerging artists to passionate hobbyists formed a vivid collective portrait of the region’s past and present. The opening ceremony amplified the festival’s cultural spirit with traditional drumming, dancing and performances that reflected the rich heritage the exhibition sought to highlight.
Chairperson for the event, Prof. Elliot Haruna Alhassan, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), described photography as a crucial tool for documenting Ghana’s cultural evolution. He emphasised that visual storytelling is becoming indispensable in safeguarding customs, values and community memory.
The Guest of Honour and former Rector of Tamale Technical University, Prof. Salifu Asuro, praised the organisers for creating a platform that elevates the cultural identity of northern Ghana. He encouraged public and private institutions to support creative arts initiatives, noting their significant role in national development.
Traditional authorities played a central part in the ceremony. Representatives from the Gukpe Naa and Dakpemaa palaces including Naa Prof. Abdul-Rahaman Issahaku, Chief of Gbanyamle and senior faculty member at UDS, as well as the Chief of Bunbong, Uborr Wumbe Dawuni—commended the festival for fostering cultural continuity and encouraging younger generations to reconnect with their roots.
Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Owusu-Boakye Frank, Senior Standard and quality assurance officer assured the Authority’s commitment to supporting cultural tourism. He stressed that visual storytelling, when harnessed effectively, has the potential to attract visitors, preserve cultural assets and strengthen community identity. He pledged the Authority’s collaboration in future editions to position northern Ghana as a vibrant hub for creativity and heritage.
One of the festival’s major highlights was a panel discussion on the theme: “Preserving Culture, History and Community through Visual Storytelling.” Chiefs, scholars and cultural experts explored the importance of visual documentation as a tool for intergenerational education, emphasising photography’s ability to create a timeless cultural archive.
Team Lead of Foto4Change and convener of the festival, Mr Geoffrey Buta, said the initiative seeks to strengthen cultural conservation efforts through photography. “Our forebears relied on oral tradition to preserve history,” he noted. “Today, visual storytelling enables us to continue that work in a more permanent and accessible form.”
Mr Buta announced plans to transform the festival into a rotational exhibition that will travel across northern Ghana, giving more communities access to the growing visual archive. He added that the event would be institutionalised as an annual celebration of culture, research and artistic dialogue.
The displayed photographs captured festivals, landscapes, portraits, rituals and everyday life offering a colourful, honest and layered view of northern Ghana’s cultural richness. Organisers expressed optimism that with sustained institutional support, the Northern Ghana FOTO Festival could evolve into a major cultural event capable of attracting both national and international attention, while preserving the heritage and stories that make the region unique.
By Spectator Reporter
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