KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society empowers the youth

THE KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society (KZNBDS) reached another milestone with the launch of the Victor Daitz Computer School and the 2025 TalkSign campaign on Friday, February 7.

The Society’s president, Veetha Sewkuran, said, “We are not just opening a computer school; we are opening the door to a brighter, more inclusive future.”

The 12-month SETA-accredited programme was launched in partnership with the Victor Daitz Foundation, Impactful IT, and Altron Digital Solutions.

“The programme will culminate in an End User Computer Certification, opening new avenues of opportunity for our deaf youth. Six months will be theory and the other is for internship at corporates, businesses, who will be willing to take on deaf interns,” said Sewkuran.

The skills development programme was launched in conjunction with the 2025 TalkSign campaign which is now in its 12th year. Nayantra Kanaye, deputy president of KZNBDS, said the TalkSign awareness campaign has empowered communities and the education sector by teaching learners at the VN Naik School for the Deaf  through the medium of sign language.

Also Read: Get involved in the KZN Blind and Deaf Society TalkSign Campaign 

“This was never done before in South Africa because it was always looked down upon,” said Kanaye. “If a child was forced to learn through the medium of sign language they were thought to be low functioning and we changed that because at a time that there was nothing to learn from, we actually used books to learn and then teach the children. So it was constant teaching, equip yourself with sign language and then teach the children. From that we were able to graduate children with matric who went on to higher education and gained employment in various fields. If the intervention is right then deaf people can succeed.”

Kanaye expressed concern with the high number of parents with deaf children who do not know sign language. “Most deaf schools offer boarding and many parents of deaf children do not know sign language, so when the children go home for the holiday they are often isolated and struggle to communicate. The intervention that we would like to see is people learning sign language so that deaf people can rise in the ranks of employment with job opportunities opening up,” said Kanaye.

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