HISTORY
The idea for establishing the Ghana Cleft Foundation originated in 2005 from discussions among members of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Cleft Clinic. These discussions were informed by the firsthand experiences of the hardships faced by families of children born with cleft lip and palate. The Cleft Clinic attracts patients from all parts of the country, majority of whom are from low income backgrounds.
These families faced a great deal of prejudice from their communities which understood very little about cleft lip and palate and were largely treated as outcasts. Some mothers had been forced out of their homes for refusing to abandon their children. Most of the affected children that are seen come from very poor families who often have difficulty with raising the needed funds for nutritional supplementation, transportation to the clinic and to pay for needed surgery.
It was clear that meeting the needs of cleft patients went beyond being attended to by a health professional. There was also the need to understand the causes and extent of cleft problem in Ghana, to assist in training cleft specialists to fund cleft research. This awakening inspired the desire to generate resources to help needy cleft patients.
Following a series of consultative meetings with a number of stakeholders a constitution was drawn up which eventually led to the incorporation of the Ghana Cleft Foundation in 2006 as a non-profit charitable organization. The Founding Board Members were drawn from volunteers representation a wide area of professional endeavour.
OUR AIM
The aim is to ensure that every child with cleft deformity receives timeous and affordable care as necessary.
VISION
To advance understanding of the cleft lip and palate deformity and the availability of treatment services in Ghana and the West African sub-region.
MISSION
To provide the needed support for cleft lip and palate services in Ghana and the West African sub-region through awareness creation, advocacy, resource mobilization, service provision, capacity building and research.
FUNDING
The Ghana Cleft Foundation is funded mainly through donations by individuals, corporate bodies and other non-governmental organisations. The entire Cleft project is made possible by funding from almost a dozen different foundations, organizations, and entities, whose generosity and commitment to the the Ghana Cleft Foundation was outstanding and unparalleled. We however continue to appeal for more donations to support our work.