Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
SIGN language capacitation is critical in fulfilling the Government’s call of leaving no one behind as the hearing impaired (HI) community had often been side-lined.
The World Deaf Federation estimates that about 80 000 people in Zimbabwe suffer from hearing impairments and the justice system, health care and economic development have been inaccessible to them.
Experts say sign language must be more broadly used as one of Zimbabwe’s official languages to ensure that the hearing impaired play an active role in growing the economy.
In line with Government’s thrust, Nkomwa Foundation Trust in partnership with Sunrise Sign Language Academy has been capacitating staff members of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic in Gwanda to communicate fluently with the hearing impaired and train others, through a five-day workshop which started on July 11 and ended on July 15.
The participants were drawn from different departments of the institution, including non-academic staff, health professionals, HI people and caregivers to such people.
Speaking on the sidelines of the sign language capacitation workshop at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic in Gwanda yesterday, Nkomwa Foundation Trust director Mr Pick Nkomwa said the hearing impaired community has been sidelined for a long time.
“The workshop was a great success and participants were so eager to learn. During the training, the participants were also sensitised on disability terminology and also the national disability policy. This was an eye opener to the participants. Furthermore, the participants had the opportunity to be educated on retirement plans,” said Mr Nkomwa.
He said the purpose of the workshop is to equip the technocrats at the education training institute to further impart the skill to the trainees who will be deployed in various communities. “Our goal is to see a high number of the hearing impaired enrolled in schools and institutions of higher learning,” said Mr Nkomwa.
He said the Nkomwa Foundation Trust and its partners are in the skills development drive and this workshop is the fourth one in a period of six months this year.
“Our aim now is to spread to other districts and impart the same skills,” said Mr Nkomwa.
“On behalf of my organisation, I’m so humbled by the overwhelming response of the JMN Polytechnic staff and all the support rendered by the management. I hope our partnership will continue as we serve the community. Further, I appreciate the support our organisation is receiving from the umbrella body, Federation of Organisation of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ) for the training materials and the technical support,” said Mr Nkomwa who is also the vice chairperson of the FODPZ Matabeleland South advocacy committee.
Founder and chairman of Sunrise Sign Language Academy Mr Douglas Mapeta said plans were afoot to train more people including those in rural areas.
“The purpose of the workshop is to capacitate the lecturers so that they become the owners of this language as far as disseminating to other caregivers. This is a training institution so we have to capacitate the lecturer who will also capacitate the students. The goal is leaving no one behind as the mantra of the Government. We’re supporting the Government initiative. Sign language is important because we’ve been side-lining the deaf for a long time but the President has made it mandatory for no one to be left behind,” said Mr Mapeta.
JMN Poly principal Dr Ngoni Moyo said the workshop was an empowerment opportunity for participants.
“It’s a historic event for us. When we started, I didn’t think it would be such a big thing but I’m realising now from the sessions that I’ve attended that certain avenues have been opened for us as an institution. It’s an empowerment opportunity for lecturers as individuals and as an institution, staff development is core to our day to day business in the education field,” said Dr Moyo. — @Yolisswa
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