Category: Deaf

People and activities in the Cambodian deaf world

Staff Training: Personnel Policy

Our Deaf Development Programme students went home yesterday for an extended break for the Khmer New Year. The staff continued working, with a day of training on the DDP Personnel Policy.

DDP director Sau Soknym (seated at table) updated the staff on the policy.

Khmer New Year 2

When we had all the students and staff together for our DDP Khmer New Year celebration last week, we also said goodbye to two our staff. Here I am listening to Sophary saying goodbye. On my right is Theary, a teacher who is leaving after only a year because of an opportunity for training in Germany.

New Year Celebration

The Khmer New Year isn’t until April 14 but our students go home for a long holiday on 8 April so today we had the DDP new year celebration. Here Mom, one of our houseparents, and Sophy (R), the Education Project manager, watch lunch for 60 people cooking on a charcoal brazier. It was so heavy they were fearful it would break the clay fire pot but all was well.

Let the rains begin!

It’s still early for the rainy season in Cambodia but, these days, with climate change, nothing about the weather is normal.

These are some of our Education Project students, enjoying some after-school activities in our eating area. You can see this first heavy rain of the seasons was, well…heavy! (And it looks like the gutter on the left is clogged.)

I was leaving–on my bicycle–for a 5:00 PM mass when the rain started and I got rather wet.

Receiving the give away…

Last night when Sambath and I arrived at the Deaf Development Programme, the hostel students were waiting to start supper and came over to help us unload–much appreciated!
This morning our DDP staff went through all that we had received to determine how all the different items could be used in our hostel program.

Give away….

Expat families are constantly coming and going in Phnom Penh. Navern is returning to the Philippines tomorrow and today she invited us to take a lot of her household goods for the Deaf Development Programme hostel.
Sambath is a tuk-tuk driver known to Maryknoll for more than twenty years. He knows us, knows where we want to go, and we know that we can totally trust him. And on top of that, he can pack whatever you have into his tuk-tuk.
With lots of rope and tape, Sambath managed to get more than I expected into his tuk-tuk–a smaller model than I remembered his having. Here he pads a large TV for a ride on the top rack.

Singapore Deaf Group Visit

A group from the deaf program of the Wesley Methodist Church in Singapore paid another visit to DDP today and offered a short workshop on the environment. Afterward they prepared several tables full of foods and drinks they offered to the DDP students.
Some of the DDP students examining the contents of their gift bags from the Singapore Deaf group.
Finally the Singapore group and the DDP management team met for lunch and a short discussion of future collaboration.

Women’s Day

Today we celebrated Women’s Day at DDP. I was there for the first hour before heading out to prepare for this afternoon’s mass for the English Catholic Community.

Some of the first arrivals just enjoying the opportunity to be together and use sign language.
Narith and Mano began preparing for lunch yesterday but then began the hard work this morning.
The first event is always singing the national anthem in sign language.
The emcee started things off with a recognition of those who had contributed their efforts to this day’s celebration.

Women’s Day Preparation

Saturday is DDP’s celebration of Women’s Day and our staff has been busy making preparations. Here Mano checks the wording on a display.
Sophy asks about the meaning of the words on this display which will be photo backdrop.
Some students get into the act also, putting together another display in their classroom.