GlobalGiving.org: Providing Sign Language to 3000 Nigerian Pupils

Providing sign language to 3000 Nigerian pupils, The journey so far

Chief Mrs Aku Christy Orduh — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:25:38 GMT

Since this project took off from Lagos Zone, Western Nigeria,we have been able to replicate the sign language Clubs in Six schools. One in Kaduna,NW Zone, Two in Abuja North Central Zone,and three more in Lagos.We have a total of six Special teachers hired for the Club formation. We are grateful to our donors for the take off. We need a lot more support to sustain the teachers on monthly basis.

Our success story came when Lagos Government allowed us to establish the sign language Club in one of their schools as a pilot project. We hope to win their further interest to allow us more schools and to include sign language in their curriculum. In the pilot school a total of seventy hearing and speech impaired children have been liberated because they can now communicate and interact effectively with the hearing and speaking children.Integrtion is very important for this group of disabled persons and without others understanding them. They cannot belong. Their developed skills cannot gain them employment or allow them successful business interactions.

Our problem here is the fact that this project does not get attention like projects on health and natural disaster appeals and yet a lot of people depend on its success to survive and be included in the mainstream of the society.

PREPARING FOR GRADUATION OF 45 IN JUNE 2011

Chief Mrs. Aku Christy Orduh — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:15:41 GMT

Activities are on top gear to perfect and round up the training of 45 students that started in June 2009 The students will graduate in June 2011.For the first time we plan to settle them in groups not as individuals but to form them into Co operatives that can attract Micro-finance.By their locations before they were recruited they choose where to stay and work and this has led to settlement in three States in Nigeria, Lagos, Imo and Kwara States respectively. We are canvassing for Tools and Equipment for their settlement and hope to pay for a Workshop for a year for them to allow them time to hook on effectively. Some of them will be employed back into the Centre to continue the manpower boost needed to sustain the Centre.

There is no way this miracle can be done in their lives with out the kindness of benefactors who accepted to help us out. They have not only learnt skills but some of them have opened their eyes and mind to academic education. We are grateful to our benefactors and will ever remain thankful.

Club Members turn to trainners

Chief Aku Christy Orduh — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:28:31 GMT

The Club Members in Lagos have started to train the other school mates in the classes as a way of spreading the knowledge acquired in Sign Language.Other schools have applied to Friends of the Disabled to extend the Club to their schools. We have prepared to do so as the schools resume for 2009/2010 academic session.Our Constrint is finaces to hire more hands to extend the services.Global Fund for Children has done well to start us off. Most parents are eager to see their chilren register and learn the signing. The acknowledge that it is a new thing in the society and would want their children to be part of change making event. The recording of the progress and stage in Abuja is in October 2009.Some new photos are uploaded to show the visit of the Researchers from Washington DC trying to communicate with our Vocational TRAINING STUDENTS WHO HAVE HEARING AND SPEECH IMPAIREMENT. We are preparing those trained to perform on the day MTMF will Commission their Skill acqisition Project in our Centre as a way of calling the Government attention to ,"SignLanguage for all Childern" We hope to go beyond Nigeria in promoting Sign Language.

Progress so far

Chief Aku Christy Orduh — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:41:42 GMT

We have been able to form Sign Language Clubs i two Private schools in Lagos with a total of one hundred and forty children and youths. We need toget into one more school school to make up our target of two hundred Club members who can be trainers in our second phase in these schools. In Abuja we have completed two hundred club members . Both in Lagos and in ABUJA;the pupils and students are making remarkable progress in understanding and signing correctly the language. In Lagos some can correctly sign the National Anthem. Some of the comments of the students are enclosed.Pictures from Abuja are here too. Some of our advocacy materials are uploaded. We thank Globalgiving and thir supporters for making the dream of integration of the hearing nd speeh impaired a reality. We have a challange of geting Instrucotrs for all the Clubs we intend to float because sign language is not a widely known and common language and their prices are higher than we expect. We are very hopefll that our initiatve is receiving a momentum even from the Government and Political quarters.

Comments from Lagos

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Sign Language takes off

Aku Christy Orduh — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:01:28 GMT

Sign Language Clubs have taken off in Lagos and ABuja; the Commercial and Administrative capitals of Nigeria respectively There is loudable response by children . Every child wants to learn for it is exciting and enticing to get and give information with the hands. Right now there is high demand but we have little resources to satisfy the needs of many.For now we have limited the Club members to fifty out of a population of a thousand and above in a school. We need more alphabeths, basic sign language text books, ID cards for members, allowances for Instructors and the wellbeing of the Club members. The Instructors are hearing or speech impaired who are experts in the language. This adds to the number of disabled staff economically sustained by our Organisation in the programme. In Senegal, March 2009, I participated in the Knowledge Exchange Workshop, Courtesy, Global Fund For Childern, where I met children and teachers that will start the Club in Senegal.It was also an opportunity to highlight to the West African participants, the need for it in the present generation.Networking is on now between Friends of the Disabled and the senegalese parcipant who have taken to float the language. Help us to positively change the world. Pictures of the Senegal events will soon be on.

Providing Sign Language to 3,000 pupils in Nigeria;our preparation and take off.

Aku Christy Orduh — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:15:13 GMT

The purpose of this project is to eradicate hearing and speech impairment in this and the coming generations through the knowledge of sign language by those who do not have hearing and speech impairment.The project will provide for effective and efficient inclusion of people with hearing problems into the main stream of the society. Learning of language is easy and exciting especially among children. Once learnt, they will carry it for life.Our efforts to get the attention and support of the Federal Government is receiving positive attention. We await a SUMMIT from the Federal Government in which all stake holders in disability issues will be addressed and a formal lunch be made on Inclusive Education and Inclusive Approaches for people with disabilities.We have confirmed that the schools still operate Clubs in areas of interst and need.Our Coordinators are on the ground for take off. Lagos And Imo States respectively are our start Areas.Some Childern who have heard of this project are excited and happy.Our Sign Language Alphabets are ready.WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE OUR JOY OF RECEIVING A GRANT OF $6,000 USD from GLOBAL FUND fOR CHILDREN (GFC) for the Sign Language Clubs and Additional $1,000 USD for the Wel-Being of the children in the Clubs. More information on the way.