For Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and many others, growing up in Ghana was especially difficult. Yeboah was born with a severely deformed right leg. Traditionally, disabled children were left to die from exposure. Even if a child is able to avoid this fate, they will likely spend their whole lives begging on the streets, and will be denied an education.

However, Yeboah’s mother would not leave him to such a fate. She sent him to school, and carried him there for many miles every day. He joined the soccer team at his school and played on crutches. He eventually got a bicycle, and started riding his bike through Ghana. He impressed the king of Ghana, who then praised him. Now, Yeboah is the face of the charitable organization Emmanuel’s Dream, which raises awareness for the disabled in Ghana and all over the world. Digital Photography teacher Allen Beland participated in the organization’s most recent event with Yeboah, and they have become fast friends.

“Emmanuel’s Dream is all about building schools and providing bikes and wheelchairs for disabled people in Ghana,” Beland said.

Yeboah changes people’s lives by providing bikes and wheelchairs to the disabled, and he is changing the minds of people around the world who did not know how capable of creating change someone born with a disability can be.

Yeboah’s most recently completed event, called Ride For Change, covered a distance from Dallas, Texas to Washington, D.C. On his final stretch from Herndon to the Office of Disability Rights (ODR), Phoenix Bikes joined him. Phoenix Bikes is an organization created with the goal of giving people transportation and skills for people not planning on going to college.

“Phoenix Bikes is a youth program in which they educate youth and build community. It’s geared towards developing usable skills, maybe for people who might not go on to college. It’s geared towards building community through providing bikes to people who needs bikes for transportation, they have no other way or means,” Beland said.

Beland volunteers at Phoenix Bikes, and he was able to organize a speech by Yeboah to the young adults in their community, seeing that many of the goals of Phoenix Bikes aligned with the goals of Emmanuel’s Dream.

“From a bike to bike standpoint, Phoenix Bikes was contacted by a teacher at Oakridge Elementary School. They are doing a unit on Emmanuel’s Dream, which is an award-winning children’s book based on the true story of Emmanuel Yeboah. She reached out to him and he came over,” Beland said.

Beland asked to join Yeboah on his final day with many other members of Phoenix Bikes.

“I told him that a few of the youth as well as myself as one of the adult volunteers would like to ride with him on his last day, wherever that may be into D.C.,” Beland said.

Since Phoenix Bikes knows the trails around D.C. very well, Beland offered to help him navigate through the city to reach his goal.

“He told the kids that he was leaving the following day, to fly to Dallas, Texas, from which he would be riding his bike back… to Washington, D.C. in hopes… of raising awareness for disabled people,” Beland said.

Everyone can appreciate Yeboah’s message, which he told to the members of Phoenix Bikes.

“Basically he was saying, we might look a little different, but we can still do the same things,” Beland said.

Emanuel’s goal is to motivate change for the disabled in Ghana, and his message inspires many in his efforts.

“He was such a big hit with the kids that it started to motivate me and to realize that I could actually do more to do besides just volunteering and teaching here,” Beland said.

Beland plans to join Yeboah in Ghana this July, and, as a certified mechanic, help build bikes and wheelchairs for the disabled. Phoenix Bikes will also have a bike collection so that they can donate bikes to Emmanuel’s Dream. Additionally, Beland plans to donate half the money he makes on his parasailing trip this summer to Emmanuel’s Dream, and the other half to Phoenix Bikes.

Yeboah has experienced what it is like to live with everyone holding prejudice against him and doubting his ability. He is a strong man who proves people wrong every day, and stands for a good cause. If you or anyone you know is interested in helping Yeboah with his journey, go to the webiste http://www.emmanuelsdream.org/ to donate or get involved.