NGOs Sensitise Residents Of Wurishei On Mental Illness

As part of the implementation of a three-year European Commission sponsored project on mental illness by BasicNeeds-Ghana and its partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs), a drama has been staged at Wurishei, a suburb of the Tamale Metropolis aimed at sensitising residents on the effects of mental problems and also urged them to hold political leaders accountable of their stewardship.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the community drama, BasicNeeds’ Project Coordinator, Dokurugu Adam Yahaya, said the drama was intended to expose issues on mental illness and its effect on development to community members and other stakeholders.

Mr. Dokurugu explained that, actors in the play attempted to use the case of a Member of Parliament who campaigned on issues affecting vulnerable groups in his Constituency and promised to assist them when voted into office, but eventually reneged on his promise. 

The play according to him, tried to let the MP and other duty-bearers at the District Assembly level to understand the plight of vulnerable people including persons with mental illness and epilepsy and use their share of the Common Fund to empower them in order to attain total development.

In Ghana, the majority of people who should determine and benefit from development processes are rather among those most excluded in development efforts. This has resulted in the type of development pursued not addressing the real needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups such as men and women with mental illness or epilepsy and their care-givers as well as peasant farmers. 

Thus, the European Commission is supporting four Ghanaian local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) through BasicNeeds-Ghana and they include Gub-Katimali Society; Zuuri Organic Vegetable Farmers Association; Centre for People’s Empowerment and Rights Initiatives; and Mental Health Society of Ghana (MEHSOG) to implement the three-year project spanning from 13^th October, 2011 to 12^th October, 2014.

The project is intended to contribute to ensuring people-centered development that meets the needs and aspirations of the majority of the population, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.

With an estimated amount of 471, 029 Euros of which 90% (423,926 Euros) is funded by the European Commission, the project would target 20 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the three Regions of the North – Upper West, Upper East and Northern as well as the Greater Accra Region. The 20 MMDAs include Central Gonja, East Mamprusi, Bunkprugu-Yunyoo, Nanumba South, Tamale Metropolis, Bawku West, Builsa, Wa, Lambussie-Karni, Ayawaso Sub-metro, Okaikoi Sub-metro, Ashiedu-Keteke Sub-metro and Ablekum Sub-metro areas.

Dubbed “Promoting an Inclusive and Empowered Civil Society to advance Socio-Economic and Political Development in Ghana”, the project aimed to build an inclusive and empowered civil society well aware of their needs and rights, including existing and contemplated public policies and programmes and increase their debate and, lobby and advocate in their favour.

The lack of meaningful consultation on public policy formulation and dissemination of policies, have mostly led to the exclusion of the needs of most vulnerable groups and communities. This could be attributed to infrastructural and financial constraints, stigma and the failure to harness the mass media especially local radio stations in dissemination of government policy formulation and implementation.

This project, therefore, aimed to reverse the aforesaid situation in the target districts by contributing to increasing awareness and capacities of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) of men and women with mental illness or epilepsy (PWIME), men and women with disabilities (PWDs), women, youth and farmer groups to influence policy planning and implementation.

Sheik Abdul-Kareem

According to Sheik Yakubu Abdul-Kareem, Executive Director of Gubkatimali Society, organisers of the community drama, policy makers at the local level have had their capacity built to enable them to effectively respond to the demands of vulnerable groups and ensure their needs were met by incorporating them in the Districts Medium Term Development Plans (DMTPs) and the implementation of other relevant policies.  

About one hundred CBOs comprising of 20 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of PWIME and their primary carers; 20 other districts and region-based DPOs; 20 women’s groups; 20 youth groups; 20 vocational/trade-skills development associations; altogether with a total of 3200 individual participants were targeted. 

Other targets of the project include 100 frontline staff from 20 MMDAs; 40 Members of Parliament from the target project areas; 240 members of 4 regional alliances for Mental Health and Development. Besides, an estimated 16,000 people from the 20 MMDAs across the four regions made up of the 3,200 direct participants and an estimated 12,800 families and communities would benefit from this project.

It is expected that by the end of the project, best practices for engaging disadvantaged civil society groups would have been well documented, widely disseminated and adopted or adapted.

Also, 20 SHGs of PWIME, 20 community-based women, 20 disability, 20 youth and 20 farmer groups would effectively participate in decision-making processes; and the 20 MMDAs in the target regions effectively respond to mental health and other social development issues to improve quality of life of the poorest and most vulnerable people, their families and communities.

Moreover, regional networks of local NGOs and MDAs would have been strengthened to advocate as an effective alliance for Mental Health Development.