KUCHING: The Sarawak Society for the Deaf (SSD) is planning to organise an early development programme next year in order to jump start the implementation of early education for young deaf children aged 0-6 years old.
Its chairperson Wenderine Koo said that at present, there is no education specifically designed for young deaf children thus, they are planning for resources and funding to start up the programme.
“We care for the well-being of our deaf members, especially the young generation and we will do our best to create more education opportunities for them,” she said.
Wenderine added that SSD also provides job matching programme to help its deaf young adult to acquire a job so they can earn a living with the skills and talents that they have.
She said that SSD recently launched the first Sarawak sign language book and currently has two ongoing projects namely, Sign Language Class and Car Wash Training.
“The class aims to produce more interpreters in future and create deaf awareness to encourage the public to learn sign language while the car wash training is one of the skills we offer to interested deaf members,” she said when speaking at the SSD Christmas celebration and appreciation dinner 2019 held at Hilton Hotel here on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that her ministry is very concerned and gives its full support to societies dealing with people with special needs.
“Societies and organisations are not only the pillar of strength to the special needs but also to their families. Those who are involved in such societies are really passionate about what they are doing, without expecting any rewards except from the Creator.
“We do hope that more people, especially the younger generations, can lend their helping hand to people with special needs in various ways because people with disabilities need support to participate fully in their communities,” she said in her speech read by the ministry’s Early Childhood Development Division chief Salina Bujang.
Apart from commending the success of Karnival Orang Kurang Upaya Sarawak (Kokus) 2019 which provided opportunities for the people with special needs to participate in any one of the 196 healthy activities, Fatimah also said that her ministry will try its best to include the people with special needs in various programmes in future.
About 100 members of the SSD were treated to a Christmas feast at the event.
