Food for thought

 

It was much easier to stomach the local Ugandan food on arrival in Entebbe than the conditions I saw in Kampala's Namuwongo Slum a few hours later.  There, our local partners, Ariane and Protais, a deaf hearing couple from Burundi are sharing sign language with a deaf youth Frank, his family and neighbouring kids who live there. Franks growing confidence and his friends willingness to sign with him is wonderful to see. 

 

I'd like to pay tribute to Joseph Commiskey and the project ' Hands of hope' that he started an d has run for several years to help improve the lives of slum-dwellers. His team made us aware of Frank's family. Two slum-dwellers recently drowned in one of its open sewers during a flood after heavy rain which hid where the drainage ditches were.

 

 

 

 

 

Training to Deliver Family Sign Language Course

Helen:  Our two deaf tutors were deaf Kate and Helen. Kate shared about raising her two children: one deaf and one hearing. Both are achieving good levels at school. This was evidently because her family were so inclusive.

  

    Recent research shows that deaf and hearing acquire language at the same rate if the family is equipped to enable the deaf child to do so.  We plan and hope to use our newly acquired skills with families that have deaf family members when we return to Arua.

    Our thanks to the National Deaf Children’s Society for running this training, and to the Dept. of Education for providing grants to enable families with very young deaf members to benefit from this funded course.

Weekly sign workshop for improvers

For the past three months we have supported local teacher, Jonathan Alemi, to run this weekly sign workshop for improvers in Arua town. We are also exploring with Jonathan how to improve access to one of only two national weekly TV news programmes that are interpreted simultaneously into  sign-language. More news next month.

Sign Workshop for three neighbouring families with deaf members

        On the invitation of deaf youth, Edmond and Doreen (circled) and their families we teamed up with local sign-language instructors, a hearing DTS student and local youth to run our second home sign workshop. About 10 adults and 30 children attended, giggling noisily as they showed each other the sign-names their instructors had given them and learnt everyday signs that they could see would improve communication with their deaf relatives and neighbours.

   Doreen and Edmond, circled were very appreciative and we look forward to learning what long-term impact it has. David, a hearing youth whose family hosted our first home sign workshop, teamed up with Godfrey, chair of the Arua Deaf Association to make a large, portable sealed sign-language display for the families to refer to afterwards. 

New Illustrated signs produced for Carpentry

Our partnership with West Nile Ecumenical Vocational Training Centre (WNEVTC) continues. One new partially deaf building student, Kennedy, has enrolled. We have just recruited Moses, a hearing  carpentry instructor with sign-language skills, whose mobility challenges have strengthened his determination to achieve and serve.

 Our sign-language resource development team has  developed what appears to be Uganda’s first illustrated carpentry signs. This has allowed one of last year’s deaf building graduates, Wilfred, to join WNEVTC’s carpentry course for the first time.

    

We also ran a half day sign workshop for all WNEVTC  new student intake, are setting up sign-language displays and alongside deaf instructor, Temia, we continue to provide communication support and optional sign-language teaching in other useful topics at their student fellowship once a week. We have provided sports equipment and some sports sign teaching too to help the deaf and hearing students relax and compete together. Thank you WNEVTC for your  continued willingness to train deaf and hearing students alongside one another.

Workshop for staff/ families of deaf students well received ..

.. at Arua Primary. It attracted well over 100 participants for each of the four Saturday mornings it ran. Its success was a fantastic team effort resulting from a strong set of agreed expectations, team production of many new illustrated signs, and training of trainers in new sign vocabulary and teaching skills. 

Our team had over 20 deaf sign language instructors/assistant instructors. Many hearing staff, classmates,  relatives and deaf students themselves testified to more effective teaching/social relationships.

 A police officer and girl guide leader (circled) came because they support isolated deaf We put up a sign-language display in the school compound which students studied! 

Home Sign Workshop for local families with deaf members

        On the invitation of local pastors John Toburo (circled) and his wife Alice, we co-led our first home sign workshop in their home. Their deaf nephew Samuel, and deaf neighbour, Vilma (both boxed), helped us teach their 15 relatives who all enthusiastically squashed into the small room. John and Alice have temporarily adopted Wilma because her family support network is almost non-existent.

 YWAM Deaf Connections support is helping this arrangement to continue. David, one of John’s sons has produced a wall-display of everyday signs to help everyone practice, including our UK friends Paul & Christine, inset!

       Alongside this support, we have worked  with John & Alice and the local deaf association, to set some personal, social and vocational development goals for Wilma.

 Our long term goal is that Wilma’s close relatives are willing and able to see her potential and will eventually welcome her back fully. Samuel, partially deaf/sighted/lame,  has also benefitted from YWAM DC support to attend local school Eruba Primary deaf unit. His cousins have marvelled at how his self-esteem, confidence, self-motivation is growing. 

Coincidences? More like my Maker at work again I suspect...

Just discovered the guy I'm staying with has been involved in a family sign workshop program I read about two years ago. His observations were really interesting. Thank you to you Daniel and your wife and son, Alice and Jonathan for having me.

Sign workshop for Eruba deaf boarders and parents.

Senior deaf students were encouraged to teach small groups of new deaf students, sitting alongside their parents.

Shyness and lack of hope soon gave way to laughter, pride and teamwork as they gained a new shared vocabulary.

Many parents gave thanks as they left afterwards clutching their new booklet of everyday signs.

Above, Austin, chair of Coventry Deaf Church encourages them all. achieve.