Ghana – People often wonder years after a project how their presence may have impacted a community. Religious Youth Service is happy to report that, four years after our project in Ghana at the Wieja Leprosarium and Pantang psychiatric hospital, other religious bodies and NGOs are now extending humanitarian service by visiting and interacting with the patients there.
Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, the chairman of the leprosarium, sent his gratitude in January 2008 for the encouragement RYS gave to others to associate with the leprosarium in 2004. Smiles have returned to the faces of the patients. He stated that the residents now get a lot of gifts and cash from the religious bodies, NGOs and caring individuals. The government has also increased the daily stipends given to the outpatients for their social well-being.
Along with this update, Father Campbell thanked RYS for its support and for giving its best to these institutions. Little did we know that our project would compel the general public to focus so much attention on them. As for the cured lepers, they are grateful for the public support because they no longer need to beg in the cities as before.
These activities have been covered by Ghanaian national papers: the Ghanaian Times and Daily Graphic.
The Religious Youth Service has been active in Ghana since 1992. The January 15-19, 2004, project in Accra, the capital, included presentations by distinguished experts in the fields of education, religion, and medicine.
The 35 participants from four nations and four religions bonded during their daily experiences of eating together, serving the needs of patients at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital Adecta, cleaning the environment, and meeting with patients.
At the Weija Communicable Disease Hospital, they cleaned the area and gave gifts to the leprous women and men and sang songs for peace for them.
The project was carried out in partnership with the Global Evangelical Church of Ghana.
To read a report of the 2004 project in Accra, click here.