UKZN congratulates its first deaf graduate

Inspiring hearing impaired pupils to reach for their goals is Voloshni Annamallay, who recently graduated with an Honours Degree in Criminology and Forensic Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

According to UKZN disability co-ordinator, Nevil Balakrishna, Annamallay is the university’s first deaf graduate.

With the Ugu district having schools such as St Martin De Porres, Balakrishna said the graduate has paved the way for other deaf students who aspire towards higher education and given the deaf community a voice that provides greater impact to the motto of the disability rights movement: ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’.

Balakrishna who worked closely with Annamallay since the start of her academic journey in 2016, praised her for being one of only a few deaf young people to gain admission and complete studies at tertiary level in South Africa.

“Among factors causing low admission rates are the demands of sign language and the low pass rate among deaf learners who are expected to blend into a highly verbal and written space using South African Sign Language which is a developing language. The lack of academic signs and fast-paced learning demanded for success presents the deaf student with a myriad of challenges and barriers,” said Balakrishna.

Annamallay said she felt overwhelmed and honoured when she graduated. She said she enrolled in criminology studies because she has a vision for a brighter and safer country for all people.

Furthermore, she described her learning experience as “overwhelming and daunting, saying that it was quite difficult to adjust at the beginning, being in classes full of hearing individuals and also navigating the social aspect of being on campus as well as finding my own way of communicating with individuals who had not been in close contact with a deaf person before”.

“You can do it, nothing is stopping you from what you aspire to become or do, you must simply believe that you can and make and take the necessary steps to achieve your goals. Yes, I am deaf and faced many challenges during my studies but I made it through all the way from my first year of studies until now. I can do anything except hear,” said Annamallay.

The graduate’s mother Popsy Annamallay said: “Twenty four years ago – the moment I came to know that my daughter who was just one-and-a-half years old at the time, was never going to be able to hear again – I couldn’t imagine her future. I didn’t know if she’d go to school let alone university. I thought she’d fall by the wayside but as she got older she got more and more academically inclined. She just grew, she never failed a year of school. She showed me she’d do well but I never realised she’d be this great woman she’s become.”