We live by faith, not by sight
Asante Twi Braille Bible Launch
Asante Twi is a language spoken by approximately 4 million people who live mainly in Ghana and southeastern Ivory Coast. In 2025 Compass Braille was asked by the Bible Society of Ghana to transcribe the Bible in this language into braille. The work progressed quickly with the help of proof readers from Akropong School for the Blind. By July transcription was completed and two complete Bibles were produced and dispatched to Ghana. On Sunday 26th October 2025, the Bible Society of Ghana held a special service to celebrate its launch. The following, together with the photograph above, comes from their report of the service:
The event, graced by clergy, educators, members of the visually impaired community, and Bible lovers, marked a historic milestone in ensuring that the Word of God is accessible to all, regardless of physical limitations.
Praise and adoration uplifted the gathering. The Bible readings, taken from 2 Corinthians 5:7 in both English and Twi and read by visually impaired people, beautifully captured the day’s theme:
We live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
In his message, Rev. Appiah (a visually impaired person) emphasised that faith transcends physical ability and that the availability of the Bible in braille enables persons with visual impairments to grow in the knowledge and love of God.
An address was delivered by the Regional Coordinator for Special Education, Ghana Education Service, commending the Bible Society of Ghana for its effort to promote literacy and spiritual development among visually impaired people.
The dedication of the braille Bible was conducted by the Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, followed by the symbolic Launch by Rev. Prof. Benjamin Abotchie Ntreh, a member of the Bible Society of Ghana Council. A reading of the Asante Twi Braille Bible (Mark 1:35-39) demonstrated the beauty and practicality of the translation for the visually impaired community.
The launch of the Asante Twi Braille Bible stands as a testament to the Bible Society of Ghana’s unwavering mission – to make the Word of God available, accessible, and meaningful to all people, including those living without sight, but not without faith.
First Public Reading
A month or so prior to the launch event, a historic moment unfolded at the University of Professional Studies Auditorium during the Bible Society of Ghana’s 60th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service. For the first time in Ghana’s history, the Asante Twi Braille Bible was read publicly by a visually impaired person, Mr. Paul Anormah-Kodieh.
Visibly filled with joy and gratitude, Mr. Anormah-Kodieh expressed his excitement over this life-changing development. He described the production of the Asante Twi Braille Bible as “a wonderful and long-awaited breakthrough for the blind community,” noting that many visually impaired people have always yearned to read the Bible in their mother tongue, particularly in braille. He commended the Bible Society of Ghana for this groundbreaking initiative that brings God’s Word closer to visually impaired believers. Being the first person to publicly read the Asante Twi Braille Bible, Mr. Anormah-Kodieh’s participation symbolised empowerment, inclusion, and spiritual equality, a powerful testimony of how accessible Scripture transforms lives. In his closing remarks, he passionately appealed for more support for such projects, encouraging churches, individuals, and partners to assist the Bible Society of Ghana in producing and distributing more braille Bibles in local languages.
This remarkable event did not only mark a milestone in the Bible Society’s inclusivity journey but also ignited renewed hope among visually impaired people, affirming that they, too, can engage directly with the Word of God in their own language and in a format they can read.
Since the successful launch of the Asante Twi Braille Braille, Compass Braille has been asked to transcribe the Bible in another significant Ghanaian language, Ewe. We will keep you informed of the progress.
