May 2009 1

Volume 2 Issue 6

May 2009

What's On Deck for DDW: Future Adventures

www.discoveringdeafworlds.com

Nine months ago, Discovering Deaf Worlds re-turned to the U.S. from a yearlong trip around the world. And everyday since, we have been feverishly asked by our friends, family and colleagues: “Where to next?!” While we would love to strap on our back-packs and hit the road tomorrow, there is much foun-dational work to be done at home this year: estab-lishing our board of directors, achieving 501(c)(3) non-profit status, building a local network of support, and sharing our international experiences here in our home country.

Once we have attained non-profit status, however, this is what we envision: Six months exploring South America, six months in Africa, and return trips to implement programs in India, Cambodia, and Ne-pal. Sound over-ambitious? Perhaps. But we mani-fest this happening over the next five years–so stick around and see what we’ve accomplished by 2015!

Remaining faithful to our mission statement and three-part plan, we will continue to discover and document the pressing issues and resources available to deaf communities in the developing countries of South America and Africa. Although DDW has yet to visit these two continents, we have received mul-tiple requests from deaf schools and associations to visit, survey, and share what is happening in their communities. With visitors to our website from 120 countries, a ripple effect is spreading the word about the commitment and purpose of our organization.

A deaf leader from Tanzania writes, “Deaf chil-dren are hidden in houses by parents since they feel shame and think superstition. What about there?” A deaf school coordinator in Uganda recently contacted us to say, “We provide education to deaf children who are still marginalized, intimidated and neglected in

What is DDW?

Discovering Deaf Worlds is dedicated to empowering and advocating for Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities around the world. We believe everyone deserves acces-sibility to language, education, and com-munity.

For more information, photos and stories, visit www.discoveringdeafworlds.com.

Educating former street children in India Collaborating with Epic Arts in Cambodia

Continued on page 5

2 Discovering Deaf Worlds

May 2009 3

Nepal is a small country wedged between China and India, surrounded by the 28,000-foot peaks of the Himalayas. Many people maintain a simple, self-sus-taining life in colorful villages throughout these moun-tains. Much of what they need to survive is grown on terrace farmland, or brought in from larger cities by porters and pack mules. There are no roads. There are no buses or taxis. Most people climb over landslides and rivers throughout the mountainsides barefoot or in flip-flops.

Deaf people often live in extreme isolation. Many cannot sign, speak, or even read and write. Oftentimes, their families do not know that deaf education and Nepali Sign Language are available in the cities. Even if they are aware, they often cannot afford to send their children to school, where the children would be away for nine months of the year. The parents need their children’s help on the farm.

The Nepal National Federation of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NFDH), partnered with Deafway UK, is responding to this dilemma. Since deaf children cannot easily get from the mountains to the cities for school, NFDH and Deafway UK are bringing educa-tion to the mountains instead! As part of the Eight Regions Project, eight deaf teachers moved to eight regions throughout Nepal where there are no services or facilities for deaf people. Their goal is to gather deaf children, adults, friends and families together and teach them Nepali Sign Language and basic literacy six days per week for one year.

As stated on the Deafway UK website, “Because of the awareness raised about Deaf issues by the NFDH

in these areas, the children now live in much more un-derstanding and accepting communities.” This program has had tremendous success; a first-year trial program impacted over 350 villagers in 10 months at a cost of $4,000. NFDH is currently working to increase the number of regions throughout Nepal it can provide such services to.

DDW first connected with NFDH and Deafway UK during our 2007-2008 world tour. As DDW en-ters the phase of international program development, we will collaborate with NFDH and Deafway UK to ensure the success of this program. To learn more about the Eight Regions Project, visit www.deafway.org.uk/index.asp?pg=114.

NFDH and Deafway UK:

The Eight Regions Project

A village along the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas A Nepali girl helping her family on the farm

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4 Discovering Deaf Worlds

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May 2009 5

the mainstream schools and society…We shall be very grateful to develop partnership in future.” A parent whose daughter recently visited a deaf school in Peru exclaimed, “That school desperately needs help! Teach-ers underestimate the deaf kids…they laugh and talk on their cell phones when deaf students try to get their at-tention.” It is important that DDW physically travels to these countries to assess issues and solutions, exchange ideas, and raise awareness.

DDW is quickly becoming a bridge through which international deaf communities and advocacy organiza-tions can connect with one another. On our past travels, we identified over 100 schools, clubs and organizations throughout the world advocating for the needs of deaf people. The second phase of our plan entails developing connections and building on this network of nongov-ernmental organizations who assist in such advocacy.

DDW is entering the third phase of our plan: pro-viding resources to expand already successful interna-tional programs, allowing such organizations to impact their communities on a larger scale. This is where we go back to India, Cambodia, and Nepal to develop deaf advocacy programs in collaboration with our partner-ship organizations. For example, Shuktara is a home and education center for deaf and/or disabled children who once lived on the streets in Kolkata, India. By 2010, DDW intends to sponsor deaf teachers to work with these children and enhance their language devel-opment. Ultimately, these kids will become role models for future generations.

Epic Arts empowers disabled youth in Kampot, Cambodia through performing arts, education and em-

ployment. By 2012, DDW intends to provide artists, role models, and educators to help expand these pro-grams, creating an environment for these young adults to express themselves with confidence.

The Nepal National Federation of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, in partnership with Deafway UK, teaches Deaf culture, Nepali Sign Language, and basic literacy to isolated deaf villagers in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal (see NFDH and Deafway UK, page 3). By 2014, DDW intends to ensure funding and educational re-sources for the long-term success of this program, which has done amazing things with a small budget.

This three-part plan defines how DDW will con-tinue to run over the years. Each of these programs will cost approximately $25,000-$30,000 annually, and will be funded by grants, sponsorships, grassroots fundrais-ing, and individual donations. We will always continue to discover new areas, while making a difference in the places we have been – one program at a time. We now turn to our pending board of directors, federal and state governments, and local community to give DDW the necessary boost to fulfill our goals. Thank you all for your ongoing support and encouragement.

Connecting with deaf villagers in the Himalayas of Nepal

Continued from front pageFuture Adventures

DDW needs your help for our upcoming benefit!Restaurants • Massages • Movie Tickets • Dance/Yoga Classes • Gift

Certificates • Wineries • Weekend Getaways • Salons • ArtworkDo you or your business have a gift certificate, item or service you are willing to donate? Do you have a

friend, family member, or colleague who may have something to contribute as well? As part of our upcoming fundraiser (see flyer on page 2 for details), we will hold a silent auction and raffle with

gifts donated from multiple businesses throughout or usable within upstate New York. All proceeds from this event will apply to DDW’s longevity. If you have ideas or comments, contact info@discoveringdeafworlds.com. Thank you for your support!

6 Discovering Deaf Worlds

Michael Cooney…We can’t thank you enough for your pro bono legal council and guidance through the non-profit process. Special thanks for your willingness to accommodate our DDW Board of Director candidates presentation. We are on our way!

Barb Haschmann…Thank you for volunteering your interpreting services and extending an extra hand of support to connect us with international deaf organizations.

Frank Kruppenbacher…Monetary donations from our support base are what keep DDW alive and running. Thank you for your generosity!

J. Matt and Susan Searls…What a kind surprise! Our reciprocity of good deeds will continue back and forth. Thank you for your contribution to DDW.

Shout-Outs!Shout-Outs!Shout-Outs!

In 2006, approximately 63.7 million U.S. residents (or 21% of the population) traveled internationally, though less than half (30 mil-lion residents, or less than 10% of the popula-tion) traveled to countries beyond Canada and Mexico. This statistic, however, is a 5% increase from 2005, which means Americans are travel-ing more abroad.

Did You Know...?

Germany $500

North Carolina, U.S $341.98

Japan $317.25

Italy $260

Great Britain $253

Kuwait $221.45Mexico $189.09

California, U.S. $160

Beijing $155.06

Poland $151

Egypt $68.53

Mongolia$40

Ecuador $31.55Bhutan

$5Breidjing

(Sudanese refugees in Chad)$1.23

For more spectacular photos, and a blog: www.everybodygoto.com/2007/10/12/what-people-eat-around-the-worldPhotos Source: Unknown

Italy: $260/week

Ecuador: $31.55/week

How Much Money Does Your Family Spend

Each Week on Food?

May 2009 7

DDW Non-Profit Status UpdateOn April 28, DDW hosted

an informational presentation for potential board of direc-tor members at Nixon Pea-body LLP in our hometown of Rochester, N.Y. We are reaching out to as many as 50 candidates throughout the country and internationally to fill six available po-sitions by this summer. An additional three positions may open up by the end of this year. Over the next several weeks, we will continue meeting with these po-tential candidates, in search of motivated individuals with a balanced diversity of skills in sync with DDW’s mission.

Once our board of directors is established, our legal and financial paperwork will be submitted to the New York State Attorney General’s Office under the pro-bono guidance of Nixon Peabody LLP Partner Michael

Cooney. Several committees will be initiated in response to DDW’s growing needs: fund-raising and grant writing, in-

ternational program development, outreach, public re-lations, and so forth.

DDW’s vision and demand has grown well beyond the workload capacity of its three directors, Christy Smith, David Justice, and Davin Searls. We are there-fore overjoyed by the positive response and support we have received throughout this process. Now that the foundation for this organization has been created, we are turning to community leadership among our board of directors to keep DDW moving in the right direction.

Future opportunities to volunteer with DDW as adjunct committee members are soon emerging. Stay tuned for more information!

“They walk the walk and sign the talk. With excitement and experience, Discovering Deaf Worlds shared their unique and challenging world travels to deaf communities with all our children, from five year olds to teenagers. These “explorers” are opening up new chan-nels of communication, care and understand-ing in the bigger world but just as important, they are opening them up for the children in our classrooms.”

Joseph P. HolleranPrincipal, St. Lawrence School

For more information on how you can bring Discovering Deaf Worlds to your school or organization, visit:

www.discoveringdeafworlds.com/presentation.html

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. - Lao Tzu