Jessica was in Oregon, the United States, last September, for an international leadership course for women that was put together by the excellent disability awareness and rights group, Mobility International USA (Miusa).

(This writer should know because I was at another top- notch leadership event by the same organisation in Eugene, Oregon, more than 10 years ago.)

The experience exposed and taught Jessica, who was the first deaf woman from Asia Pacific to Miusa’s leadership event, to a wide variety of issues and concerns that are related to the disabled and deaf women as a whole that included health, disability rights, empowerment, barrier-free environment, to education.

“I was totally inspired,” recalls a beaming Jessica. “I just couldn’t wait to come home to Malaysia to share my enlightened experiences with deaf women here.”

Jessica is already about to put her rich experiences into practice. Her upcoming projects to help deaf women empower themselves with leadership skills will be conducting workshops entitled Empowering Deaf Women.

The workshops, to be held in mid-June and August of this year is a two-part plan and approach in the central and northern regions of Malaysia to assist the process of deaf women’s empowerment in those areas.

The aim is to empower deaf women with skills and knowledge so that, in Jessica’s words, “deaf women will pride themselves in not only being deaf women but will have a better understanding of the role and significance they can and do play in a mostly hearing society.”

The programme, Empowering Deaf Women, has been sponsored by the Duskin AINOWA Foundation of Japan where Jessica was trained in another leadership programme a year before her Oregon experience.

For further information on how to participate in the programme, kindly contact: Pusat Majudiri Y for the Deaf at 03-22741439 ext 109/013-3902300/Fax: 03-22740559 /
e-mail: pmy_prog@ymcakl.com.

The daily said the Malaysian Association for the Blind had issued 650 free cards for the visually handicapped to use the services.

Those interested in obtaining the free cards must be registered as members with the association.

Application forms are available at the Central Market and KL Sentral Stations.

Selangor-born Yee, a bubbly teenager, on the other hand, wants to be either a special education teacher, a lawyer or an accountant.

"The main problem is getting into university. Somehow I feel that people like us are viewed with apprehension. Maybe it's because there are n many of us who have reached this far.

"In most people's minds are these questions: "Are we as capable as normal people?" Can we compete with them?' My answer is a resounding 'yes' . Give us a chance and we'll prove to you that we are just as competent, not better," says Yee.

Yee credits her teachers for spurring her on. She wants to excel teaching sign language as she feels that many teachers are not proficie in it.

"At the moment, I feel that the BIM (Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia) is much more effective than the IKTBM (Kod Tangan Bahasa Melayu). Every deaf child has a right to the language of communication. Deaf kids can have place in society too," she said.

Agreeing with her is Ho Koon Wei, a hearing-impaired linguist.

"The BIM is pictorial and it was formed by the deaf for the deaf. KTBM is just coded words with prefixes and suffixes," she says.

Anthony Chong Vee Yee, 22, a hearing-impaired student who scored As in the SPM three years ago, complains that opportunities for further studies are limited.

"Inflexible mindsets are an obstacle," says Chong, who is currently taking up computer studies in Kolej Damansara Utama.

"When people talk to the hearing-impaired, they tend to look at the ears, as if that will help overcome the loss of hearing. Why don't they focus on their abilities? We need to convince people that we are not illiterate. We are only hearing-impaired," he says.

Lucy Lim, a sign language interpreter and executive-in-charge of Pusat Majudiri "Y" for the Deaf, laments that however good their exam result are, employers will put down the phone receiver once they know that the applicant is hearing-impaired.

Many employers still do not believe that those who are hearing impaired can obtain diplomas and degrees, she says.

Sign language courses that the lecturers acquired helped bridge the gap between lecturer and student.

The fact that Chong still maintains straight As proves how enriching his experience is studying at KDU.

Chong, a shining example of a dynamic and independent person, involves himself in various activities. He is a volunteer in the Secretariat of the Susan Kebangsaan Orang Pekak, secretary for the organising committee of the anniversary dinner for the Deaf Club. He participates in activities held by the Unit Belia Perak and motivational camps organised by the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf.

To his delight, Foo Ruishan and Kimberly Ngo joined KDU College to pursue computer studies. According to Foo and Ngo, everyone was inspired by Chong's achievements.

The students, well on their way to a coveted degree, hope that there will be more hearing-impaired students at KDU.
The staff of Faculty of Information & Multimedia Technologies never cease to further understand and learn the needs and feelings of these students by having weekly
meetings to interact with and learn from them.

The use of an e-learning platform to facilitate teaching and learning provides further help for students like Chong, Ngo and Ruishan.

The faculty collaborates with Northumbria University, which was inaugurated as a university in September
1992.

KDU College's next intake commences on March 29. To discover what KDU has to offer, register for KDU's X-week running from March 22-25, call 03-7728 8123, visit www.kdu.edu.my or e-mail best@kdu.edu.my

Konishi said the project would enable the deaf to pick up IT skills by providing computers, printers and software.

The Japanese government's contribution will be used to cover part of the expenditure to implement the project.

Lim said PMY was also working on the "Adopt a Deaf School" Programme where volunteers who had learned sign language at YMCA returned to help conduct a reading literacy programme for deaf children in primary schools.

The best gift is to empower them with the right education, skills and tools, thus equipping them with self confidence and realisation to return to help their community.

They deserve the chance to excel in their work and in life,' Lim said.

For details on PMY, contact Lucy Lim at 03-2274 1439, or visit www.ymcakl.com/pmy

"In 1989, the Japanese Government set up the grant assistance for grassroots projects," said Japanese ambassador Masaki Konishi.

"Since then, Japan has supported 80 projects under this scheme, costing some RM8.9 million.

Executive director for YMCA KL, Albert Chong, said "Our work with the deaf started. with a simple act of committing a space and personnel resource in 1973 when a group of deaf youth were neglected by most of society.

"Today, the deaf regard the YMCA as an organisation where they can find support to make a difference in their lives."

According to Chong, the training centre will begin operations next month in Brickfields.

"It will be open seven days a week and will cater for deaf children and their parents who want to learn computing skills.

"The centre will be equipped with 10 computers and will be run by volunteers from YMCA KL," he added.