CBRDS Final-Year Students Donate Specialised Furniture to SPED
Final-year students of the Community-Based Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (CBRDS) Unit at the Department of Special Education (SPED), University of Education, Winneba (UEW) demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence and community impact with a remarkable donation of 100 specialised chairs and 15 tables to the department.
The presentation, held on Friday, 3rd October 2025, at the Faculty of Educational Studies Block, forms part of the students’ practical project work for their Introduction to Project Management course. The custom-made furniture, valued at GH₵40,000.00, was designed to support training in Appropriate Paper-Based Technology (APT) for students across the department.
Explaining the motivation behind the gesture, Mr. Esau Buolamwini Emileo, Course Representative for the CBRDS class, said the idea stemmed from challenges encountered during their second year of study.
“When we were undertaking APT in Level 200, we struggled with inadequate chairs and tables. We felt compelled to ensure that the next cohort would not face similar difficulties. So, as part of our project management course, we mobilised resources through market outreach, office visits and digital fundraising with support from families, friends and even contributors abroad,” he disclosed.
Mr. Emileo noted that the initiative addressed a departmental need and served as a practical application of the fundraising, planning and management skills acquired during their course.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the department, Dr. Emmanuel Kwasi Acheampong, Head of SPED, lauded the students for their foresight and commitment. “These specialised tables and chairs are the first of their kind for the department and they will greatly enhance the teaching and learning of assistive technologies.
“Beyond providing comfort and practical support for future APT classes, this project is a testimony of the skills our students have acquired. We are confident that the strategies they used in mobilising funds here will enable them to make lasting impacts in the communities they will serve after graduation,” he said.
Ms. Rhoda Mahamah, Lecturer in charge of the Project Management course, praised the students’ creativity, resilience and teamwork in successfully bringing their projects to life.
“These 99 final-year students have proven themselves as mini-developers. They designed, developed and implemented this project based on lessons from the course. Their initiative aligns perfectly with the Vice-Chancellor’s vision of encouraging community-driven impact.
“Apart from this furniture donation, other student teams also executed outstanding projects, including a menstrual hygiene outreach for 100 girls at the Uncle Rich Schools, the donation of a television and mini public address system to the Hearts, Hands and Voice Foundation and the provision of APT materials such as carpentry tools and wood dryers for departmental use,” she recounted.
Altogether, the students raised over GH₵51,000.00 to finance these projects, a feat that highlights their commitment to problem-solving and sustainable development.
The donation ceremony, attended by faculty members, students and representatives of the CBRDS unit, was marked by a spirit of gratitude and pride. It symbolised not only a lasting contribution to the department’s resources but also a clear demonstration of how academic training at UEW translates into practical solutions with long-term benefits.
With this gesture, the CBRDS final-year students have set a precedent of service, innovation and responsibility that reflects UEW’s core mandate of preparing graduates who transform lives and communities.
