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| Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital |
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) is one of the leading institutions of higher learning in Ghana, offering various programmes in education, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Among its many departments, the Department of Education and Psychology stands out for its mission to train psychology students who will have the requisite competencies to function as psychology assistants in all sectors or agencies that support nation building.
In line with this vision, a group of psychology students from the department decided in April 2023 to do something meaningful and generous for their community. They organized a fundraising campaign and, on August 04, 2023, embarked on a humanitarian visit to the Ankuful Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Coast, where they donated items such as toiletries, clothes, and foodstuffs to the hospital.
In this blog post, I will share with you some of the highlights of their donation, and why it matters for mental health awareness and promotion.
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| Level 300 Psychology Students Donate to Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital |
The psychology students who donated to Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital were in their third year of study at UCC. They were taking a course in Counselling Psychology; which also covered various topics such as the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. As part of their course requirements, they had to visit a psychiatric facility and interact with the patients and staff. They chose Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital because it was close to their campus and had a reputation for excellence in mental health care.
During their visit, they were impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the hospital staff, who provided quality care and support for the patients. They also learned about the challenges and difficulties that the hospital faced, such as inadequate funding, staff shortage, stigma, and discrimination. They realized that mental health was a neglected and marginalized issue in Ghana, despite its prevalence and impact on individuals, families, and society. They felt a strong sense of empathy and compassion for the patients, who suffered from various forms of mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.
They decided to organize a fundraising campaign among their classmates, friends, family members, and other UCC students. Upon hearing of the initiative, a group from UCC’s Atlantic Hall, called Organizers of Atlas Got Talent, collaborated with them on the fundraising; the psychology students were grateful for the response and support they got from their donors.
During their visit, they were impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the hospital staff, who provided quality care and support for the patients. They also learned about the challenges and difficulties that the hospital faced, such as inadequate funding, staff shortage, stigma, and discrimination. They realized that mental health was a neglected and marginalized issue in Ghana, despite its prevalence and impact on individuals, families, and society. They felt a strong sense of empathy and compassion for the patients, who suffered from various forms of mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.
They decided to organize a fundraising campaign among their classmates, friends, family members, and other UCC students. Upon hearing of the initiative, a group from UCC’s Atlantic Hall, called Organizers of Atlas Got Talent, collaborated with them on the fundraising; the psychology students were grateful for the response and support they got from their donors.
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| Level 300 Psychology Students Donate to Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital |
They contacted the hospital management through a formal letter, expressing their intention to donate some essential items to support the hospital’s operations; arranging a date for their visit, which was Friday, August 4th, 2023. On that day, the students, led by their programme representative Hayford Asomah and accompanied by two of their lecturers Dr. Gloria Owusu-Ambrose and Dr. Eunice Torto-Seidu (Represented by her T.A), arrived at the hospital with the gifts. The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the institution helped in transporting the items to the hospital.
They presented their donation, which included toiletries, clothes, and foodstuffs, to the hospital staff. The items were received by the internal Auditor and the Procurement officer, who expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the students on behalf of the hospital management and staff.
As part of their learning journey, the psychology students had another opportunity to interact with some of the patients. They heard their stories and experiences with empathy and respect, and offered them some positive messages and affirmations. It was a meaningful and enriching exchange for both sides.
As part of their learning journey, the psychology students had another opportunity to interact with some of the patients. They heard their stories and experiences with empathy and respect, and offered them some positive messages and affirmations. It was a meaningful and enriching exchange for both sides.
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| Psychology Students Donate to Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital |
One of the main objectives of the donation was to enhance the students’ learning experience and well-being. According to the students, they benefited from their donation in various ways: personal, skill, academic, and well-being. They felt good emotions, learned new things, applied their knowledge, and improved their health.
However, this donation also raised some questions and challenges for the students and the beneficiaries. For instance, how sustainable and scalable is the intervention?
Despite the challenges of the donation, the psychology students from UCC showed that they are keen to learn and use psychology as a scholarly and useful field. They also showed that they care about their own growth and the well-being of others. They also highlighted how psychology can support mental health in Ghana. Thus, their donation was both a kind act and a beneficial learning experience.
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