Lets go fly a kite!

Every Friday afternoon in term time I have been visiting the dozen Deaf children in the district Special Needs Unit of the local school, Paipir Primary (say pie-pea). My sign language is slowly getting more fluent with use and I have attempted to tell Bible stories.

Let's go.....

We have also been making kites from plastic bags and split bamboo. Kites that actually fly are very rare in Uganda so it has been a lot of fun teaching the Deaf kids this 'special' knowledge. This is a small effort to redress the natural balance which leaves them well behind the curve in almost every way, in a largely unsympathetic hearing world.

fly a kite!

There should be about 120 Deaf children at Paipir but there were only 12 last term. The rest are isolated in their home villages because the parents are unaware that they can go to school, are too poor to attempt it or believe it is no worth sending a deaf child to school.

All of us hearing people pick up our mother tongue without a thought as we grow up. For the deaf, that does not work and sign language must be learned from an outside source; an instructor or a school. Without language, communication, and life, is miserably limited.

Channel 4, 'Unreported World' made an excellent documentary about the issues of Deafness in rural Uganda which you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNCPgrm8Gu4.

On Sunday mornings at the Church of Uganda (Anglican) church we provide sign language interpretation for the Deaf adults and children who come. After church I host 'Deaf Breakfast' and usually welcome around 10 young adults (with 3 children) and a sign language interpreter into my home for 'Break Tea'. It is generally not very deep but provides the Deaf community with a social space.

Fun at Deaf breakfast

The church has come to rather enjoy having the Deaf coming to Sunday service and a few church members have learned sign language, which augurs well for the future. The Children presented a sign language song to the church one Sunday that was well received.

Hearing aids? Sorry, there are no technicians and even if the batteries were available, which they are not, there would be no money to pay for them.

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