Autism Awareness Month
SENEGAL
April 2019
Once again, CHIP International lit up the national monument of Senegal the Monument de la Renaissance Africaine in blue to mark La Lumiere Bleue (Light It Up Blue) 2019 on April 2nd for World Autism Day. The imposing statue is the tallest in Africa, and CHIP-I and the administrators of the monument have observed La Lumiere Bleue in Senegal by washing the statue in blue light for the fourth year running.
Other activities for the month were a panel on Inclusion at a regional school on the 20th of April, and then the grand finale of a children's day at the national monument on April 28th. The grand finale had children singing, dancing and engaged in arts and crafts and theatre performances. It also included live performances from professional entertainers. Proceeds from the day went to the participating Centres or schools, with over 350 children and adults attending.
Autism Awareness Month
GHANA
April 2019
Dubbed LOOK OUT!, Autism Awareness month 2019 in Ghana was a collaboration between CHIP International and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Medical Sciences again, but this time included the UCC Faculty of Educational Foundations and the UCC Centre for Child Development Referral and Research as well. Our autism awareness month flags and banners lined up the UCC main campus avenue and both East and West gates of the sprawling University campus were lit up in autism blue.
On Tuesday April 2nd, 2019, courtesy of our partners, there was a lively float through the main streets of Cape Coast - complete with brass band! with flyers handed out for autism awareness. University authorities actually suspended classes for the whole Faculty that day to ensure student participation and in honor of autism awareness! The day ended with a free premier of the movie "OUTLIER' in the evening at the UCC Auditorium 900, attended by over 300 students, parents, teachers and associates.
It was a great success, and a reminder to LOOK OUT! for the signs of autism, LOOK OUT! for methods to teach and reach children with autism and special needs in general, and to LOOK OUT! for ways to support and get involved.
