When Salifu Awini was a child, he contracted severe meningitis, leading to life-long hearing and speech impairment. In Garu, in Northern Ghana, Salifu’s parents were small-scale farmers who struggled with poverty due to insufficient livelihoods and low incomes. To try to ensure their children had different futures, Salifu’s parents chose to enroll his siblings in elementary school. However, the stigma within their community that surrounds people with disabilities meant that they believed there was no point in sending a child with a disability to school. As a result, Salifu was isolated, leading a lonely life at home while his siblings attended school.

Eventually, Salifu was identified by the Presbyterian Church in Ghana’s Community Based Rehabilitation Program (CBR) staff and registered for assistance. The CBR project team provided Salifu with a sewing machine and he enrolled in training in dressmaking and tailoring, which provided him with the tools and knowledge to pursue a career path. In addition to this, he received training in soap production and small business management, which equipped him with more skills to help him become self-sufficient. Salifu successfully graduated from the training programs in 2022 and has since begun applying his skills. 

Now 24 years old, his newfound skills have boosted his confidence and opened up new opportunities for income generation. Salifu is self-employed and earns a living by sewing and trading, which enables him to meet his basic needs.