A sod has been cut for work to begin on a three-bedroom apartment for Moses Addai, a 13-year-old boy whose right leg has been amputated from above the knee.
He is one of the characters and in fact the inspiration behind the latest JoyNews Hotline documentary, ‘Crushed Young.’
The documentary to be premiered on Monday, August 16, 2021, at the Kumasi Mall Live Event Centre at 4:00 pm, highlights how children are getting killed and others suffering permanent injuries from road traffic accidents.
It is estimated that about 310 children of school-going age are crushed on Ghana’s roads every year. It is a sequel to the Crushed documentary that premiered in April this year.
Moses Addai, who has been a victim, has undergone eight surgeries at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital after a taxi ran over him at Trede junction while buying food. Doctors working on him say he has two more surgeries to do.
Moses’ father died some four years ago and his mother, Selina Fosuah, a poor farmer is having to cater for their five children alone. Moses’ accident further worsened their plight.
Until the producer of the documentary, Seth Kwame Boateng, chanced on Moses in May during one of his rounds, money to settle his rising medical bills and drugs was even a challenge.
The tables, however, started turning around when Seth Kwame Boateng first broke Moses’ story on Asempa FM, during the Ekosii Sen programme in May.
The 13-year-old boy’s story touched the hearts of many and even without asking for donations, people voluntarily started sending donations for his upkeep.
Within 24 hours after sharing his story, about GH₵ 40,000 was raised and GH₵ 35,000 of this amount was quickly sent to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to settle some of his medical bills while GH₵ 5,000.00 was given to his mother for his upkeep as part of the Ekosii Sen Impact Project.
Further donations from the general public, including some GH₵ 30,000 from the Roads and Highways Minister, Akwasi Amoako-Atta is what triggered the idea to put up a three-bedroom apartment for Moses and his family.
This became necessary because Moses’ mother and her five children presently live in a dilapidated small single room that could collapse on them should there be any heavy storm.
Also, the place is not disability friendly and so would be very difficult for Moses to use crutches or wheelchair there when he is discharged.
This move was further boosted when the Chief of Trede, Nana Nuben Sra III, voluntarily offered a parcel of land for this project when the management of the Multimedia Group Limited approached him.
On Saturday, the Krontihene of Trede, Nana Osei Tutu Agyemang Diawuo l, on behalf of the Chief of Trede, joined the leadership of the Multimedia Group Limited to break the grounds for work to begin on the building.
At a short colourful event at Trede this morning, the Krontihene praised the Multimedia Group Limited, especially the Ekosii Sen Impact Project for thinking about the needy and for going the extra mile to put smiles on their faces.
The General Manager for Luv FM and Nhyira FM, James Aglah, noted this is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities.
He recounted how through such gestures the media house has partnered the First Lady to put up a Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Mr Aglah also praised multiple award winning journalist, Seth Kwame Boateng for always championing such projects.
The programmes manager for Asempa FM, who doubles as host of Ekosii Sen, Philip Osei Bonsu, thanked listeners of the station for contributing generously towards this.
He told the gathering barring any last minute changes, the project should be ready within two months to enable the boy and his family move in when he is discharged from the hospital.