Meeting the Needs of Children and Families with Communication and other Developmental Difficulties in Accra, Ghana—An Assessment of the AwaaWaa2 Community-based Program

The families of children living with communication and developmental difficulties in Ghana face challenges in accessing quality care. In the absence of an organized governmental response to the needs presented by these children, a handful of grassroots providers has formed what may be described as an emerging special needs child serving system. This qualitative study looks at the lived experiences of nine families raising children with a range of communication and other developmental difficulties. In-depth interviews were conducted through a collaborative effort between AwaaWaa2, a local community-based organization providing provisional services to children, and the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research. Results indicate that families are finding innovative ways of meeting the needs of their children. A comparison with an assessment conducted in 2006 was done. Partnerships like the one forged between these two organizations are a potential tool in awareness raising and advocacy. Implications for global and grassroots community level collaboration are discussed.