Talk banking today, talk healthcare, talk education, and one word comes up over and over: digital. Mobile payments, online learning, virtual consultations, e-commerce, social media, digital ticketing, even access to government and utility services, almost every part of modern life now runs on technology. But what happens to those who cannot hear the phone ring, follow spoken instructions, or communicate through traditional channels?
For thousands of Deaf Ghanaians, the digital revolution often feels like a door closed to them. As the world moves rapidly toward automation and online systems, accessibility becomes a question of inclusion, not just convenience. True digital transformation must ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, can participate fully in the connected economy.
To address this challenge, Telecel Ghana, one of the country’s leading telecom operators, launched the SuperCare initiative in May 2017. The program is part of Telecel’s broader commitment to inclusive connectivity, ensuring that technology empowers every segment of society.
It is led and driven by Telecel’s senior management, including Chief Executive Officer Patricia Obo-Nai, and General Manager Commercial Operations Mercy Dawn Akude, who oversees all the Frontline Teams at Telecel and steers the programme’s strategic direction.
On the operational front, Kow Cornelius leads the SuperCare team, translating that leadership vision into action. For him, the work carries deep personal meaning. Growing up as the child of Deaf parents, he witnessed both their strength and the daily barriers they faced in communication and access. Their resilience saw him through university, shaping his conviction that inclusion must go beyond charity, it must create opportunity.
“I grew up with both parents who are Deaf,” he tells The High Street Journal. “They worked hard to support me all the way through to university. So at Telecel Ghana, we believe that by empowering other Deaf people, we can uplift the community’s standard of living and help them become more self-reliant.”
That belief drives the work of Telecel SuperCare, which integrates accessible solutions into its business model. The initiative combines specialized data packages, a sign language call centre, and regular workshops that teach digital literacy, safe use of mobile money, and online navigation. Retail staff are also trained to serve Deaf customers, creating a nationwide network of inclusive service points that make technology truly accessible.
Kow adds, “No one should be left behind in this era of digital transformation and connectivity. Just because one has a disability and cannot speak or hear does not mean they should be left out. We are leading the charge for digital inclusion by designing specialised data for them, providing access to information with workshops and training, and employing members of that community to bring diversity of ideas into our company.”
Beyond technology, Telecel SuperCare supports the community through frequent donations to the Accra Chapter of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf, providing laptops, projectors, and other tools to enhance learning and skills development. “While our focus is on empowering people to be self-reliant, teaching them to ‘fish’, we also recognise the need to give direct support when necessary,” Kow explains. “That’s why Telecel Ghana makes donations like TVs, projectors, and laptops to the Accra Chapter.”
Since its inception, SuperCare has grown from serving a few hundred to thousands of Deaf subscribers, supporting access not only to telecom services but also to financial tools and even medical interpreting, helping prevent miscommunication and errors caused by language barriers.
Telecel Ghana has recently intensified its advocacy, calling for sign language to be mainstreamed in public information dissemination, basic education, and customer service delivery nationwide. General Manager, Commercial Operations Mercy Dawn Akude highlighted this during the International Week of the Deaf in Accra, under the theme “No Human Rights Without Sign Language,” stressing that communication must be a bridge, never a barrier.
She emphasized that when public information is shared without sign language interpretation, it sends an unintended message that some citizens are less deserving of knowledge or access. “True inclusion,” she said, “requires that sign language be recognized as an essential tool for education, governance, and everyday communication, ensuring that Deaf Ghanaians can fully participate in society and exercise their rights.”
In addition, Telecel Ghana continues its partnerships with Takoradi Technical University and other tertiary institutions with Deaf student communities, recruiting young talents into the SuperCare team to strengthen workforce diversity and empower future leaders.
“The vision,” Kow says, “is to keep on breaking barriers and take them alongside us into the digital future.”
For Telecel Ghana, inclusion is not an afterthought, it’s part of what it means to connect people. By opening digital doors for the Deaf community, the company ensures that technology truly fulfills its promise by leaving no one behind. In the end, that’s what it means to be Connecting Energies.
Read More