I first visited Ghana in 2000 on a Madventurer expedition. I became friends with Tom Vernon who was just setting up a small football academy. I’ve stayed in close contact with Tom’s project over the years and in 2009 returned to see the progress.

Right to Dream is now a full fledged academy, school and international graduate network – scouting underprivileged footballing talent and nurturing these fortunate students into young ambassadors and role models for Africa. To date the academy has had a 100% record at getting its graduates into professional contracts in football, higher education in the US & UK and vocational careers in Ghana.

In June 2011 the academy welcomed 4 of Ghana’s best disabled Athletes with the goal of supporting them to qualify for London 2012 and use their success to change attitudes towards the disabled in Ghana.

I’ve been helping get the Para Programme up and running this summer and it’s been rewarding to spend time with these incredibly determined, talented and fun-loving athletes. Rafa, Alem, Anita & Charles all have powerful back-story’s  of how they’ve overcome their disability and turned it to an advantage. If we can help them get to the games I’m confident they will have a significant impact back in Ghana on how people view people with disability.

Para Publicity Campaign

To get these guys to the games we need further support than Right to Dream is already providing – sponsors, donations in kind etc… I’m working on the PR campaign for the awesome foursome and would like to create a set of striking images of the team in a tron-style race through space showing off their athleticism and celebrating their physique as something spectacular and heroic.

Here a couple of images to explain this better – the ad of Paralympian Oscar Pitorious grabbed my attention.

If you think you can help contact me ben.keene@righttodream.com

follow our Paralympian team on facebook and twitter

thank you