Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
IN a bid to foster inclusivity, the Jehovah’s Witnesses Church hosted its regional Zimbabwe Sign Language and IsiNdebele Conventions in Bulawayo, which brought together about 3 000 delegates including 130 lingual impaired attendants.
The three-day conventions ran under the theme: “Pure Worship” with the Ndebele segment hosted at the Zimbabwe International Exhibitions and Conference Smart City while the Sign Language gathering was at the Zimbabwe Music Academy.
The southern region conventions come after Harare hosted an international three-day public event that brought together over 40 000 delegates, with over 4 000 international delegates drawn from the United States of America, Europe, and Africa.
In an interview yesterday, the church’s southern region spokesperson Mr Mlaleli Nsikane said these two conventions were the last to be held in Matabeleland region this year where over 10 000 delegates have attended.
“These conventions are a build-up from the international convention, featuring the same programme but in various languages in our region, such as the Zimbabwe sign language, Tonga in Binga, and Venda in Beitbridge,” said Mr Nsikane.
“This convention programme is also being delivered exclusively in Zimbabwe sign language, a milestone that underscores Jehovah’s Witnesses’ dedication to community outreach and the inclusivity of sign language as an official language in Zimbabwe.”
Mr Nsikane said Jehovah’s Witnesses have long invested in making their Bible-based programmes accessible to those with hearing impairment and the hard-of-hearing community.
This includes producing videos, holding weekly meetings, and organising large events entirely in Zimbabwe Sign Language.
Some members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have also taken the initiative to learn sign language so they can better support and engage with their friends who are hearing-impaired.
Through such efforts, Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to ensure that Sign language is actively used in spiritual contexts.
Mr Nsikane said the church’s trust to promote inclusivity and production of Braille material has also been done to support those with visual impairment and large-print material for the elderly.
He said Jehovah’s Witnesses has also developed the a sign language app, which consists of videos produced using Zimbabwe’s Sign Language, which is one of the 100 international sign languages used by the church to produce material for the hearing impairment community across the globe.
The church has also embraced technology, where other people access the event through the live streaming platform, and also the use of technological equipment to enhance the accessibility of their sermons.
Meanwhile, Mr Nsikane said on Saturday the church saw many people being baptised, with the youngest being nine years old and the eldest being 83.
