Africa-Press – Botswana. Sign language is the bridge between the deaf and society, says Gaborone City mayor, Mr Austin Abraham.
Speaking after the Botswana Association of the Deaf sponsored walk in Gaborone on Saturday, Mr Abraham said it was important that community members should learn sign language in order to communicate with the deaf effectively.
He noted that currently there was a lot of unemployment among the youth and that they could learn sign language to create employment for themselves.
He also noted that the hearing impaired and deaf community experienced challenges to access health services, and that it was important to advocate for their inclusion to access all services.
Mr Abraham said the sponsored walk was aimed to change the mindset of society as they sensitised them on challenges facing the deaf community.
The city mayor also said the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Byte Size College and Botswana Association of the Deaf was an agreement that sign language would be taught at the college.
He praised the initiative as a good opportunity for more people to learn sign language noting that learning sign language could create employment for those who would act as interpreters.
The mayor also appealed to the community to stop discriminating and abusing deaf people.
The director of Botswana Association of the Deaf, Ms Shirley Keoagile said they had challenges as deaf people and that they needed interpreters when consulting medical doctors.
She urged community members, especially doctors, to learn sign language because they were not assured of confidentiality when an interpreter was involved during consultation sessions.
She said there were about 100 deaf people living in Gaborone, Tlokweng and Ramotswa.
The sponsored walk was in collaboration with Alive Medical Centre who also carried out free screening for non-communicable diseases.
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