This week marks the International week of the hearing impaired. It is observed on the last week of September every year since it was first launched in 1958 in Italy.
To observe the week in the country, the Wangsel Institute in Paro has focused on organizing special sign language classes for a week to create awareness to the community.
A few staff and selected students from the Drugyel Central School are learning basic signs which will help them communicate with the hearing impaired students.
Without any knowledge of the signs, they say communicating is difficult.
“When they come to eat their meals, it is very difficult to communicate with them since they cannot hear what we say, and we don’t know what they say in sign language,” said Drugyel Central School’s Cook, Norbu Wangdi.
The classes are being held every day after school hours.
Similar classes are also given to other community members like the shopkeepers where the children often visit.
The theme this year is “With Sign Language, I am Equal”.
One of the teachers, Chimi says sign language increases the accessibility of information for the hearing impaired students.
“The community should basic signs, so that people who cannot hear don’t face any challenges while communicating with the society.”
Wangsel Institute was started in 2003. The classes started with only 10 students. The institute has 92 children now.
