Sign language training in House of the Deaf

Maison des Sourds,  the House of the Deaf, is a place for meeting-, learning- and work for deaf in Nouakchott. Silent Work invited François Manga from Senegal to travel a long way to Nouakchott, to train 18 persons for 10 days. He has a long term experience in sign language for deaf children. The trainees came from different parts of Senegal and Mauritania: teachers, board members of organizations for the Deaf, a physician and employees of Silent Work.

It is very special that participants travelled so far in a desert world but even more that they, originating from different tribes, worked in such splendid cooperation for this united goal.

French was used as the main language, but employees of Silent Work translated in Arabic and local languages. The students made a list of desired gestures and a deaf assistant took care of executing  these gestures in a pure and beautiful way. All ended with an exam and report.

8 Students started shortly or wish to start a class for deaf children in their region, with assistance of Silent Work.

In continuation, in the summer of  2010 a one month Training will be organized in two classes for deaf: one in Mauritania, one in Senegal, with the emphasis on education in sign language for deaf children.