Organisations aims to assist hearing and visually impaired residents
The mission of the organisation is to empower residents and ensure that they are recognized as persons with dignity, equal rights and opportunities.
As the official voice of hearing and visually impaired members in the Amanzimtoti community, Deaf Blind South Africa has been formed to provide support services to those who need it the most.
This includes individuals, their families, caregivers and friends as well as any other persons closely involved with their day to day activities.
Chairperson of the organisation, Tracy Smith who is based in the area said, “It serves deaf and blind individuals of all ages, dealing with all conditions, no matter what the degree or severity of the dual sensory impairments. DBSA was established in order to serve as the voice of deaf and blind people in South Africa. The severity of combined visual and auditory impairments means that deaf and blind people cannot automatically utilise services for people with visual impairments or with hearing impairments. Therefore, deafblindness causes extreme difficulties with regard to education, training, working life, social life, cultural activities, information, communication and mobility. Deafblindness must therefore be regarded as a separate disability, which requires special methods of communication, mobility and special methods for coping with the functions of everyday life.”
The mission of the organisation is to empower residents and ensure that they are recognized as persons with dignity, equal rights and opportunities.
For more information on the organisation, contact Tracy Smith on 081-468-0359 or Emmie Barnard on 082-770-7998.
ALSO READ: Talk Sign project aims to bridge divide with the deaf
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