Deaf
Unit, Cairo
Location:
Cairo, Egypt
Director: Clair Malek
Founded: 1982
How it all started
The Deaf Unit is part of the work of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt,
which also oversees several other projects. There are three main
areas of work at the Deaf Unit. The first is a school, the second
is a
vocational training centre and the third is a deaf club. Whilst
everyone is encouraged to pay for the services offered by the Deaf
Unit, no one in genuine need is turned away.
Current
activities
The
School:
-
began in 1982. It provides primary education (and boarding
facilities) to around 60 hearing-impaired children, aged 4—16
years. Most of the pupils come from poor families in the
area
surrounding Cairo, where such schools are almost non-existent.
All of the children come from Christian families
-
teaches the children Egyptian sign language and Arabic,
following this up with lip-reading and speech therapy. Community
prejudice is high and parental awareness is low — therefore
most children arrive at the School with little or no language
at all (either
sign language or Arabic), unable to communicate significantly
in
any way
-
was able to buy some computers with speech therapy software,
designed to increase the efficiency of speech therapy for
those
with hearing impediments
-
teaches personal health care, good manners and life skills and
has regular trips out
-
provides pupils with food, medical care and clothes, if
necessary
-
teaches parents sign language, hearing aid management and advice
in catering for the special needs of their children
-
offers weekly boarding to most of the children, who return to
their families at weekends
-
offers teacher training for those interested in working with the
hearing-impaired, in addition to its regular programme.
The
Vocational Training Centre:
-
opened its workshops in 1998 and aims to provide quality trade
skills to young, hearing-impaired adults.
-
teaches skills such as carpentry, sewing, metalwork and
business management
-
offers trainees every opportunity to become experts in their
field, since hearing-impairment presents few or no obstacles
to
skills training and workmanship in these trades
-
is run largely by deaf people for deaf people.
The Deaf Club:
-
aims to enable the social interaction and spiritual
development of hearing-impaired adults, some of whom are former
students at the School
-
provides a chance for families to get together and enjoy
recreational activities at twice-weekly meetings
-
provides a service every Sunday evening
in which worship and teaching can take place
in an environment geared for the hearing-impaired. This also
helps them to become better integrated into the wider religious
community, since religion is central to the Egyptian way of
life
-
provides an annual summer camp in Alexandria to enable families
to holiday together by the beach. This is usually the only
family holiday
that most of these people can afford.
As well as each of the above activities, the Deaf Unit produces
books, videos and other material for educating the hearing-impaired
in Egypt. |
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