Woman This Month

April2010

The silent world

By : SIMI KAMBOJ

Marginalised from society, people suffering from deafness and hearing loss live in an isolated world. In absence of adequate resources and language skills, they invariably withdraw further into their shell. Against this backdrop, the Bahrain Deaf Society has resolved to help the silent world communicate.

Formed in 2007, the Bahrain Deaf Society aims to assist the deaf community and the general population in communicating with each other.

"We believe that disability may come from God, but a handicap is decided by man himself," feels Mahdi Al Noaimi, chairman, Bahrain Deaf Society.

A Bapco employee, Al Noaimi recalls frequenting a school for the deaf in Kuwait, while he was studying at a university there in 1980.

"A Bahraini family from our village had six deaf children, who were all sent to the school I visited. Once back in Bahrain, I continued to see these children since we were in the same village. I noticed that they always sat alone, neglected and segregated at weddings and social gatherings," he recalls.

In 2004, he came up with the idea of having religious texts and lectures translated for the deaf people of his village. After a long search, two translators were found who could work with the deaf. Both Redha Al Shahabi and Shauqi Al Matooq had picked up sign language from experience as they had friends who were deaf and finally a committee for the deaf was formed at the Matam Alnoaim village.

Starting out with 20 people, the Bahrain Deaf Society now has 228 deaf members. The organisation's main objective is to teach the deaf members to read, write, draw and communicate with others and impart them job skills.

According to estimates, Bahrain is home to around 1000 people who are deaf or suffering from hearing loss. As in most other parts of the world, the deaf are often treated as second class citizens here. Though some of this treatment maybe intentional, much of it is due to lack of awareness by the general hearing public.

A survey of the Deaf Society membership reveals the sorry state of the deaf population in the Kingdom. Only 46 per cent of their members are employed and a majority of them have had limited education - only 63 per cent were found to have completed secondary school. Worse, around 60 per cent of the deaf members lived below poverty line.

The society's aim has been to enhance the standard of living for the deaf who traditionally have limited employment opportunities. It conducts vocational courses and computer-based training, depending on the needs and skills of its members. Society volunteers teach them to read and write in Arabic.

Periodic medical examinations are conducted and hearing aid devices distributed to the poor members.

"Access to education is the biggest challenge staring at the deaf population in Bahrain. We have educational facility only up to the intermediate levels for the deaf. We're trying to petition the education ministry to set up a secondary school for them," says Al Noaimi, pointing out that most GCC countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait provide up to university level education for the deaf population.

Health care for this segment is another challenge, with most doctors being unable to understand and deal with deaf patients.

"Most of the medical staff in Bahrain hospitals do not know sign language and require a translator to deal with deaf patients. Bahrain has only around 8 to 10 translators, of which four work with us," he rues.

The Bahrain Deaf Society has recently conducted special sign language courses for 40 doctors sent in by the health ministry. In the coming months, the organisation hopes to start speech therapy for the deaf with Khadija Khudeir, a specialist in deaf impairment education, who trained in Saudi Arabia. Future plans also include a course in gold and silver jewellery making for the members.

In addition this, team picnics, football matches and plays are organised to engage members and integrate them with the society.

"When we organised religious lectures in our early days, the deaf people didn't want to sit with the hearing public and wanted a separate seating arrangements. They felt uncomfortable since people either poked fun at them or ignored them totally," recalls Al Noaimi.

However, things have come a long way since then. The society has staged two plays in the recent past, where the deaf participants performed on stage for the hearing public. The first play was based on an religious Islamic theme, while the second was an Arabic comedy.

According to Al Noaimi, common people can help by learning the basics of sign language including the greetings, which goes a long way in making them feel "comfortable" and "welcome".

A membership fee of BD1 is charged for each member every month, which is does not cover even a fraction of their operational expenses. Financial constraints have inhibited the Society's expansion plans and its desire to provide further services.

"We work with limited funds, which mainly come from donations. We are sometimes supported by the Ministry of Social Development for specific projects. Along with a dearth of volunteers and the lack of interpreters in Bahrain, this is the main challenge we're facing," he says.

The society functions from a one-room office and most of the courses are conducted on outside premises hired for the purpose.

Making matters worse, the deaf are often overlooked by organizations that provide services to disabled groups, since this disability is generally invisible.

A member of the World Federation of the Deaf and the Arab Federation of the Organs of the Deaf, the Bahrain Deaf Society has sent 4 translators to Qatar for training as a television presenter for the deaf.

"Our members may be poor and suffering from disability, but many of them are blessed with talent. Some sew beautifully, some paint exceedingly well and some others are brilliant footballers. What they lack is the self-confidence and self motivation, which we can bolster by encouraging them in their interests," observes Khadija.

For help or enquiries, call Bahrain Deaf Society at 17250115

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