Category: Deaf

People and activities in the Cambodian deaf world

Promoting Sign Language

Today Save the Children had an event to publicize and promote their project in Pursat Province in which they are encouraging school teachers of hearing students to learn Cambodian Sign Language and to use it to make education available for deaf students in the remote areas. They have produced some good materials, and just the fact that they are now an ally in promoting the use of sign language in Cambodia is a real boost.

Making do….

Sometimes we have leftovers when Russ Brine and I eat dinner together and then I try to take them to DDP for lunch the next day. I dump some rice in a plastic ice cream tub and dump the leftovers over it and put it in the refrigerator at DDP when I arrive. Then about 10:30 or 11:00 AM, I take it out of the fridge and put it out in the sun to warm up a bit. We don’t have a microwave at the office so this is the best I can do and it usually gets a bit above room temperature.

Closing Kampot Center

Our center in Kampot, one of three, had to close in January because we anticipated there would not be enough funds to continue it through this present year. Last week we went to the center to say another farewell to the staff and to bring back to Phnom Penh some of our equipment there. Click here to see some pictures from the day.

Managers Meeting

Every quarter the middle management of DDP—the managers of the six projects–come together for a two-day meeting. At the meeting taking place this week, Russ Brine presents the latest information on DDP’s child protection policy.

Sad Day in Kampot

Today our program manager, Prak Soeun (L), and I went to Kampot for a final meeting with four staff (the two on each side of me) who have lost their jobs as DDP has had to reduce its activities in the province because of budget cuts from international donors. The two staff on the far right will continue providing minimal activities to keep the deaf community engaged there.

Who you gonna call?

While the Wuhan coronavirus is making the headlines and causing disruptions around the world, the bigger problem at DDP is mosquitoes. Recently we have had a second big infestation of the insects and today we sent the staff and students home early and a pest control company came to fog our grounds and our buildings to hopefully reduce the number of the little nasties.

Spreading Success

Ms. Kem Khemara is the owner/director of the Bi Salon beauty establishments in Phnom Penh. She spent seven years in Japan and speaks the language fluently, and she is also an accomplished businesswoman. She has taken a special interest in training young deaf women to work in her salons and they have been very successful, so much so that Japanese television came to film a documentary about her accomplishments. Here she is filmed speaking to DDP’s co-director Keat Sokly about her involvement with the DDP students.

Two Language Schools

Julie Lawler (left, at table) is a new Maryknoll Lay Missioner who will work at the Deaf Development Programme. She is in class every day to learn the Khmer language but twice a week she is also learning Cambodian Sign Language! She has a head start because she already knows American Sign Language.