Personal Empowerment not Enough:
Courage Award Winner
Seeks Social Change in His West African Homeland
by
Karen Quammen
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah of Ghana
was recently presented with the 2006 National Courage Award. Since
1980, Courage Center has presented the National Courage Award to
recipients who have made a significant contribution to the health,
welfare and rehabilitation of people with disabilities.
Yeboah was born with a severely deformed right leg. Individuals
who have a disability in Ghana, West Africa, are often poisoned or
left to die by their families. Those who are not poisoned or left
for dead are often hidden away or spend their lives begging on the
streets. Of the 20 million people in Ghana, two million people have
disabilities.
Yeboah is well on his
way in accomplishing his mission to change the destiny of individuals
with disabilities in Ghana forever. He is the subject of a documentary
film, Emmanuel’s Gift (narrated
by Oprah Winfrey), and has dedicated his life to changing the perception
and treatment of people with disabilities. Against the odds, he is
opening minds, hearts and doors and creating social and political
change throughout his country.
In 2002, to gain the attention of his country, Yeboah decided to
ride across Ghana on a bicycle he received from the Challenged Athletes
Foundation. He had mastered pedaling with only one leg and undertook
his important journey, which was documented in newspapers and on
the radio. By the time he reached his destination, he was a hero.
In 2003, he was given
a brand new life when he was evaluated and fit for a prosthetic
leg. The next year, he participated in a ceremony at the King’s
palace in Kibi, Ghana, where he awarded educational scholarships
to children with disabilities and presented sports wheelchairs
to athletes with disabilities.
His goals today include building a state of the art sports academy
for athletes with and without disabilities, employing people with
disabilites, organizing a team of athletes with disabilities to represent
Ghana in the 2008 Paralympics Games in Beijing and eventually running
for a seat in Parliament.
The Courage Center Gala
also included the presentation of The Jay and Rose Phillips Awards.
These awards honor people with disabilities who have achieved success
in their chosen careers and help to create awareness about the
benefits of hiring people with disabilities. The 2006 Phillips
Awards winners were Timothy Helseth, Loan Servicing Supervisor
with Wells Fargo, Lynnette Lijewski, Relocation Service Planner
with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Rebecca Noble,
Retail Supervisor with Cabela’s, Scott Rickford, Financial
Advisor with Oakridge Financial and Paul Van Winkel, Public Service
Assistant at the Hennepin County Library-Ridgedale.
Medtronic employees from the internal employee resource group ABLED
(Awareness Benefiting Leadership and Employees about Disabilities)
dedicated their time and energy as volunteers to assist in making
the Courage Center Gala, which took place at Medtronic World Headquarters
in Fridley, a huge success.
The 500-plus attendees
enjoyed dinner and a silent auction, as well as music from the
group “Up with People,” on August 26.
All proceeds from the evening went to support the mission of Courage
Center’s Sports and Recreation programs. ![]()
