Kerry Deaf Resource Centre Update 05.09.16

RE- OPENED AFTER ANNUAL LEAVE

Our service re-opened on the 1st of September after our annual leave holidays.

If you would like to meet with any of our staff members, please feel free to contact us for an appointment. Our opening hours to the public are Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm & 2- 5pm and on Friday from 10am-1pm.

UPDATE ON TRIP TO ETHIOPIA.

While, our service was closed for annual leave, our Manager, William White headed to Ethiopia to work with a number of Deaf related projects. Here is an update from Willie.

“On the 8th of August, I flew to Ethiopia for the 3rd time to work on a number of Deaf related projects there.

Sadly, on arrival into Addis Ababa, I was informed that it was not safe to travel to my 1st destination to a town called Ambo. Over the past couple of months, there have been a number of protests in different regions in Ethiopia & sadly some of these protests have turned violent. It was reported in local media that seven people were killed by soldiers in & around Ambo just before I arrived into Ethiopia.

Thankfully, the Daughters of Charity in Addis Ababa organised for me to volunteer with them in a nearby disadvantaged school for hearing children. I joined a number of other Irish volunteers & we provided basic English tuition to the children. During one of these classes, I mentioned that I knew some Ethiopian sign language. This sparked an interest in the children & before we knew it, all the classes wanted to learn some sign language too. On my last day there, a Deaf colleague Yanit Girma arrived back safely to Addis Ababa and she joined me for the day and together we taught approximately 100 hearing children sign language.

On the 12th of August, I joined a US based non-Governmental organisation called ‘Visions Global Empowerment’ on a Deaf project in Bahir Dar, approx. 1-hour flight from the capital. Sadly, a few days before we arrived there, violence also erupted there & it was reported that approx. 30 people were killed.

Thankfully, peace was restored and we got to spend the next 10 days working with the KAL Deaf Resource Centre in Bahir Dar and at a local school ‘Yekatit 23’ that had a large number of deaf students.

While, we were in Bahir Dar, I teamed with an American volunteer, Jacqueline Eugster and we provided a 2-day workshop on the linguistics of sign language. In addition, we provided workshops to two groups of parents of deaf children. We also worked with deaf students & video recorded clips of the Ethiopian sign language alphabet, numbers & basic phrases to enable hearing people communicate with local Deaf. We also worked with local Deaf professionals & recorded a video that gives an insight into the work of Visions & the KAL Centre. These clips will be used a resource for the Centre & in time will be uploaded to the internet so people can learn Ethiopian sign language online & learn about the work of the Centre. Lastly, we also had the opportunity to visit a number of livelihood projects that are supported by Visions. We were also treated to a performance by a Deaf Youth Circus which included jugglers, acrobatics and Ethiopian cultural dance.

To learn more about Visions Global Empowerment, go to

http://visionsglobalempowerment.org/programs/deaf-education-empowerment/

To learn more about the KAL Deaf Resource Centre, go to

http://www.kalcenter.org/model-regional-deafness-center/

On the 22nd of August, I returned to Addis Ababa and we were delighted to hear that peace was also restored in Ambo. On the 23rd, Yanit Girma & I travelled to Ambo and we worked with teachers and students in the Ambo Lazarist School for the Deaf which is supported by the ‘Ethiopia Deaf Project’ & the ‘Vincentian Lay Missionaries’.

The students which comprised of adults & children were keen to learn basic English reading & writing skills. They also expressed an interest to learn Irish sign language.

During our time in Ambo, each student also received 2-3 items of clothing & personal toiletries that were donated to me from friends, family & colleagues in Ireland. In addition, each participant was given 50 birr per day towards the cost of transport & food for attending the workshops. I was also in a position to pay the two teachers that I was fortunate to work with in Ambo. All other costs such as Yanit’s transport and accommodation were covered so that no costs were incurred by local people on the ground in Ambo.

My sincere thanks to everyone in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar & Ambo, I could not have done the work without their incredible guidance & support. I also appreciate everything they taught me too”. On behalf of all those who benefitted from this trip, I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who supported this trip.

OUR CONTACT DETAILS:
Kerry Deaf Resource Centre.
4 Gas Tce, Tralee, Co. Kerry, IRELAND
V92 Y409

KDRC provides services to Deaf and hard of hearing people at county level
and contributes to national & international issues of equality, access and
rights.

Charity Number CHY20854
To donate, go to: https://www.gofundme.com/kerrydeafresource

Text: (+353) 87 633 4687
Tel: (+353) 66 712 0399
E-mail: [email protected]
Glide: kerrydeaf
Skype: kerrydeaf (by appointment)
FaceTime: [email protected] (by appointment)
FaceTime: (+353) 87 633 4687 (by appointment)
Website: www.kerrydeaf.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kerrydeaf