Milton Keynes engineer fights for 60 kids from Ghana to have better future

Gordon Redgrift made the first life-changing trip after watching a BBC2 documentary about the plight of the country’s forgotten youngsters.

“The government in Ghana gives no help at all to disabled children. It does not recognise them. And what is worse, often the parents don’t want anything to do with them. These children are just abandoned,” said Gordon, 57, who lives on Broughton.

He contacted a Ghanaian man, Barimah Antwi, who runs a rehabilitation centre in Offinso for dozens of children and young people with disabilities.

Disabled himself after losing his arm in an accident, Mr Antwi teaches the youngsters life skills, dressmaking and shoemaking so they can support themselves in adult life.

Currently there are 60 youngsters crammed into the Offinso rehab centre. Their only alternative is begging on the streets.

Gordon discovered the centre was run on a shoestring and promptly pitched in to raise funds and offer help.

He has just returned from overseeing a project to bring fresh water to the children, paying for a bore hole to be drilled and a huge water tank installed. He has also built six toilets and his next project is to build a proper kitchen.

Gordon plans to set up a charity called ADDO (Action, Disability, Development, Offinso) and is appealing for donations.

To build and equipment a kitchen to replace the primitive and unhygienic facilities the centre currently has will cost £12,000.

Find out how you can help by emailing [email protected]