Dream! We'll make it happen

Saturday, April 30, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
Do you have a dream? One that can have your home totally transformed for you?
Then continue to dream big, because it may soon come true, thanks to a new series on television, Dream Makeovers.
Dream Makeovers is a family-oriented infotainment show that rewards beneficiaries with a free makeover.
The show, which started airing on GTV in February this year and is aired at 6.30 p.m. every Saturday, seeks to, among others, celebrate unsung heroes in society and show that every home can be transformed using the basic elements of design.
The beneficiaries range from people with touching stories, local philanthropists, professionals who show exceptional commitment on and for the jobs they do in public or private service and celebrities who are making significant contributions to society.
So far, nine beneficiaries have been rewarded with a total transformation of their homes.
They are Ghana’s first policewoman, Madam Rose Nkansah, whose bedroom was transformed and also provided with a new bathroom; Daniel Boahene, a teacher of the St John’s Grammar School who has taught for 25 years, was rewarded with two fully furnished bedrooms for his children; the Teshie Orphanage had its living room given a new look; Basics International at Chorkor in Accra also had its hostel transformed, while Mrs Kate Duggan, a philanthropist, also had her living room changed beautifully.
The others are Tina Odamtey, a hair stylist for children who had her living room changed to make it more child-friendly; Dr Mawuli Ametepey, a surgeon at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, was rewarded with a brand new living and dining room; Mr Nat Botchway had a new office set for the Help Age branch at Bubuashie, a suburb of Accra, while Steven Grant, who runs a school for children of squatters, received a new single room plus kitchen.
“As an interior designer, I realised that many people wanted to know how to transform their living areas without the transformation costing them an arm and a leg. From experience, I knew how and wanted to teach little tricks on how to transform a home at very little cost,” Zoe Akosua Akumia, the creator and host of the show, said concerning how it all started.
She said in order to teach how to redo a home, she needed someone’s house and the idea of also rewarding someone who was making a positive impact on society came.
On how those beneficiaries got rewarded, Zoe explained that people nominated the beneficiaries, giving reasons, after which the story was investigated to find out if it was credible.
Dream Makeovers is designed such that viewers get to know the beneficiary, why he or she was selected and the impact the show will have on people’s lives. It is also interlaced with good housekeeping, design and home improvement tips.
The excitement on the faces of the beneficiaries when they see their makeover homes is a sight to behold.
As I watched the episodes, the surprises, excitement and appreciation on the faces of the beneficiaries, their families and friends gave me goose bumps all over.
“I am so excited! God bless you!” were the words of Tina Odamtey, a beneficiary, as tears welled up in her eyes.
For the children of the Teshie Orphanage, they could not have been happier and more thankful for their new environment.
“I love doing things for people and when the beneficiaries get all excited about their new homes, that is the high point for me,” Zoe said.
Season One of Dream Makeovers ends on May 7 and, according to Zoe, she had invested a lot of money in the project, adding that for Season Two to be feasible, she would need a lot of funding.
“I intend to take Dream Makeovers across the whole country so I’m appealing to corporate Ghana to come on board to help make the dreams of unsung heroes a reality,” she said.
She was grateful to her sponsors — Latex Foam, Syriatex, Global Lighting Centre, Sikelele, West African Decor Tiles and Manet.
Why don’t you make a date with GTV at 6.30 p.m. tonight to find out who the 10th beneficiary of a dream makeover will be?