Category: Deaf

People and activities in the Cambodian deaf world

Musica Felice Donation

Three weeks ago Musica Felice held a benefit concert for the Deaf Development Programme, and today Ms. Miwako Fujiwara came to present the money DDP was to receive from the event. Miwako handed over $5,100, more than she initially announced to us. That will really help us for the coming year in which we will need to make up a $30,000 deficit. Thank you, Miwako, and Musica Felice!

More Musica Felice!

A week ago we had the Musica Felice charity concert which was a great success. 100% of the ticket sales went to the two groups—our Deaf Development Programme was one of them–for whom the concert was organized by Miwako Fujiwara. A reporter contacted me after the concert and we talked a bit but then I didn’t see anything in the paper and thought an editor might have killed the piece he was planning. But today Miwako sent me the following link to the article–and I was quoted!

Take a look to get a “feel” for the concert experience!

Musica Felice Charity Concert makes a big splash on its comeback

Year 2 Graduation

The Deaf Development Programme has a two-year non-formal education program for older students who come to us with no language. Today we had a graduation ceremony for the students who–finally–finished Year 2 after the classrooms were closed 1.5 years because of Covid.
Fourteen students graduated today. It is sad that they are able to receive so little education but they are bright and energetic so we hope they will succeed in job training or returning to their families’ farms.
The social communications office of the Vicariate of Phnom Penh was present for the graduation and afterwards interviewed two of the students.

Musica Felice Concert

Sunday evening we had the Musica Felice Charity Concert and part of the proceeds were designated to assist the Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme. Organized by Ms. Miwako Fujiwara, the concert filled the large ballroom of the Sofitel hotel both with people and beautiful music.

Before guests arrived Thuch Sophy (left) and Sau Soknym, both of our management team, set out DDP brochures for the concert-goers to peruse.
DDP staff helped to welcome guests and punched their tickets. Understandably, not many deaf people attended the concert. I suspect some of our deaf staff came just to experience what a concert might be like for hearing people.
Miwako and several of the singers are members of our English Catholic parish and it is very satisfying to see them participate in community events such as this.
Afterwards the DDP staff gathered for a photo with Miwako Fujiwara.

Musica Felice Concert

Ms. Miwako Fujiwara is a professional musician and the organizer of Musica Felice, a choral group of Phnom Penh singers. Their series of benefit concerts was interrupted by Covid-19 but today held a concert at the Sofitel hotel in Phnom Penh with the Deaf Development Programme as one of the beneficiaries. More than twenty DDP staff attended. Most of the concert was not interpreted but at the intermission Miwako made some introductions. Unfortunately, our sign language interpreter offstage didn’t hear her name called, and when she didn’t appear I stepped in for some impromptu interpreting. (More on the concert tomorrow.)

Getting ready for graduation

Today at the Deaf Development Programme, deaf staff and Sign Language Project staff prepared a banner to be used for the graduation ceremony for sign language interpreters class next Friday. The banners have pictures of the present king and his father and mother and then the name and date of the event. Such banners are a mandatory part of every ceremony in Cambodia.

Changes in the Education Project

Today Srey Mom started her new job as school counselor and moved her desk into the office of the Education Project which meant rearranging everything and moving some materials out of the office. Here the education staff ponder the placement of cabinets and tables while Srey Tin cleans up some of the books to be stored.