Albania : Advocacy, Organizational and Interpreter Training Project 2009–2011
The project improves the equal opportunities of the Deaf in Albania to participate in society.
The focus is on increasing awareness of Deafness in society, on strengthening the local organizational activities and skills of the Deaf, as well as set up a training programme for interpreters in the country.
The methods of the project are advocacy, development of tools for advocacy, information dissemination and administrative skills of the Deaf, and in addition working for the interpreter training programme becoming officially recognized.
The project continues the cooperation of the Albanian and Finnish Deaf associations, which began in 2000.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Finnish Association of the Deaf.
Co-operation partner
Albanian National Association of the Deaf ANAD
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Inkeri Lahtinen
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Ethiopia: Ethiopian Deaf Women’s Empowerment and HIV/AIDS prevention project 2007–2010
The project improves gender equality and prevents the spreading of HIV and AIDS among the Deaf in Ethiopia.
The project has trained Deaf regional trainers who themselves educate the Deaf about issues relating to gender equality, HIV and AIDS. The project activities take place in seven pilot regions in Ethiopia.
In the pilot regions Deaf women’s clubs have been established, which then arrange local activities. The activities of the project strive to strengthen the readiness of the women’s group of the national association to act as well as to influence the rights of Deaf women in society at large as well as in the Deaf community.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Co-operation partner
Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf ENAD
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Katarina Nybergh
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Malawi: Malawi National Association of the Deaf Organizational and Training Project 2008–2009
The aim of the project is to improve the status of the Deaf and human rights in Malawi.
The project strengthens the organization and the skills of the Deaf in Malawi by training elected officials and personnel of the organization. The training is based on a survey conducted on the status of the Deaf and the development needs of the organization.
The project also trains Deaf trainers, who provide support for the establishment and activities of local deaf associations and regional groupings.
Funding has been applied for the continuation of the project in 2010-2012. The goal of the continuation of the project is to further train the actors within the organization, increase the advocacy work performed by the organization, as well as strengthen the financial stability of the organization.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Co-operation partner
Malawi National Association of the Deaf MANAD
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Ossi Oinonen
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Mozambique: The Deaf Education Development Pilot Project 2008–2010
The project improves the opportunities of the Deaf to access education in Mozambique.
The focus of the project is on developing second-degree education. The goal is to secure primary education for the Deaf in Sign language in certain special schools and classes in Mozambique. The project will prepare a plan on how teacher students can specialize in Deaf education.
The project is a continuation of a previous project, in which Deaf students were studying in Sign language in three pilot schools and Sign language teachers and classroom assistants were trained.
In the second project the training methods developed in the first project will be introduced into the models of action of the Mozambique Ministry of Education ,and expert assistance on how to further develop education in Sign language will be provided.
The project is implemented in cooperation with the Mozambique Ministry of Education and Culture. The cooperation in Mozambique has begun in 2001.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Finnish Association of the Deaf.
Co-operation partner
Mozambique Ministry of Education and Culture MEC unit for primary education
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Inkeri Lahtinen
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Russia : Information on Reproductive Health for Sign Language Users 2010
The project will establish barrier-free services for the Deaf in the areas of St.Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast. The project will promote the sexual- and reproductive health of Deaf youth by focusing on attitude change, education and improved access to services.
The project will provide the Deaf community with information, skills and tools on questions regarding sexual and reproductive health. Health care professionals will be provided knowledge and means to encounter Deaf clients.
A survey of the Deaf community’s level of awareness regarding sexual and reproductive health as well as of the central actors in the field and development needs will be conducted. As a result of the study a sexual- and reproductive health training programme curriculum suited for the Deaf will be planned and piloted in 2011. Material in Russian and Russian Sign language will be produced to support the training.
The project is based on previous cooperation of the Finnish Association of the Deaf and the All Russian Federation of the Deaf regional association in St. Petersburg in 2002-2009.
The project is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland.
Co-operation partners
The All Russian Federation of the Deaf regional association in St.Petersburg, the The Information-analytical Centre for Social- and Healthcare Organizations (St.Petersburg), Väestöliitto (Finland)
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf:
Ossi Oinonen
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Tanzania: Credit Scheme and Poverty Alleviation Project for the Deaf Population in Tanzania 2001–2011
The project improves the opportunities of the Deaf in Tanzania to vocational training and income generation.
The project trains Deaf people in entrepreneurship. It also helps them to access vocational institutes, become clients of organizations offering micro-loans, and find employment within municipalities, companies, and organizations.
The project focuses especially on women and youth. The project advocates for the rights of the Deaf in society in cooperation with officials.
The project is a continuation of the cooperation between the Finnish and Tanzanian Deaf associations, which has begun in 1998.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Co-operation partner
Tanzanian Association of the Deaf CHAVITA
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Katarina Nybergh
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi
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Uganda: Sign language and Advocacy Project 2008–2010
The project improves the status of Sign language in Uganda.
The project offers wide scaled training in Sign language to the Deaf, their families, teachers and service providers such as doctors and the police. The goal is to promote the skills of these groups to communicate in Sign language.
Improved Sign language skills and the stabilized status of the language improve the integration of the Deaf in society.
In addition the project advocates on many fronts on behalf of the Deaf and the status of Sign language. Advocacy and information dissemination influence the attitudes of the community and on decision-making, development of services and the realization of Deaf peoples rights.
The project is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Co-operation partner
Ugandan National Association of the Deaf UNAD
Contact in the Finnish Association of the Deaf
Katarina Nybergh
mailto: firstname.surname@kl-deaf.fi