THERE are many qualities that make Shelley Buckle the perfect role model. Her adventurous and generous spirit and her never give up attitude. But it is her continuing campaign to give a voice to the hearing impaired community that tops that list.
After being crowned Miss Deaf SA and Miss Ballito in recent years the uMhlanga resident notched up another prestigious accolade recently winning the KZN Young Achiever’s Award for 2014.

“I was overwhelmed and incredibly excited when they called my name. It was such an honour and I really wasn’t expecting to win. The most nerve wracking thing was giving an acceptance speech which the other winners on the night seemed to have prepared for, but I had to wing it,” she laughed.

“I remember saying I’d use the award to inspire deaf people and raise awareness that those who are hearing impaired can do anything.”

Shelley was born deaf and communicates through lip-reading and sign language. Her parents discovered that she was deaf at the age of two and though she was fitted with a hearing aid, she had to see a speech therapist.

Earlier this year the former Our Lady of Fatima pupil organised a charity event for Deaf SA which raised around R10 000 for the organisation.

“It’s important to me to break down the stigma associated with being deaf and to close the gap between the deaf community and the hearing community. I feel the government has overlooked its efforts to help the deaf community. My hope is that people recognise deaf people are just as normal as them, only with the exception of not being able to hear well,” she said.

Shelley said she’d her goal was to host more sign language workshops for the hearing to create more awareness.

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