Victory for the disabled

MBABANE – It was a day for sign language.

The communication gap or break-down for deaf people who are obliviously rejected and sometimes left unattended by government officials in ministries and public sectors will soon be a thing of the past.

This is because 50 health workers, 41 police officers and six social workers have been trained to communicate in sign language.

This has been met with excitement and the sense of being included in society for people with hearing difficulties.

Yesterday, these officials graduated during an event that was graced by parliamentarians and a sample of people with hearing disabilities. The function was held at Royal Villas and communications and activities were done with the use of sign languages, with interpreters.

The event was characterised with performances by pupils from the Siteki School for the Deaf, drama plays by the members of the police. The deaf, through drama and poetry, expressed the difficulties that they were subjected to in government institutions and other public sectors. They sent a clear message on how they were given wrong medication, sent away by the police and found themselves living in a marginalised society because of communication breakdown.

Lack of trained people who had an understanding of the sign language in government institutions was explained as a major setback for people with hearing disabilities.

The deaf sensitised and encouraged the learning and appreciation of sign language by members of the public.

Makhosini Makhubu, the instructor in the National Disability Unit, said they were disturbed and disappointed by the story that appeared in a local media of a disabled man who was arrested by police officers for jaywalking.

"We heard that the man was rushing to hospital and was sick. However, police took him and locked him up for hours because they could not understand what he was saying. If there was a trained officer, that matter would have been settled amicably," said the emotional Makhubu. He said learning sign language would help people, especially civil servants, to identify people with hearing disabilities and provide them with the necessary assistance.

"The complete course for sign language has three levels. On the first level, a person is taught on how to use the body signs to construct words that make sentences.

"On the second level, a person is taught the culture which includes how to behave or live with other people. The last stage is the very difficult onee," Makhubu said.

Makhubu trained the 97 civil servants who graduated yesterday.

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