Resources and support
Education
Schools for the Deaf, and Inclusive schools
Currently 563 deaf children are enrolled in Resource and inclusive Namibian schools.
Inclusive schools:
- Mweshipandeka Secondary School and Gabriel Taapopi SS (Ongwediva, Oshana Region)
- Maria Mwengere Secondary School (outside Rundu, Kavango East Region)
- Cosmos Secondary School (Windhoek, Khomas Region)
- Haimbili Hausiku S.S (Eenhana, Ohangwena Region)
- Coastal High School (Swakopmund, Erongo Region)
- Katima Combined Deaf Unit, Andreas Kandjimi PS (Rundu, Kavango East Region)
- Swakopmund Deaf Unit (Erongo Region).
Resource schools:
- National Institute for Special Education (NISE) School for Hearing Impaired (Windhoek, Khomas Region)
- Eluwa Special School (Ongwediva, Oshana Region)
- Uusko Nghaamwa Special School (Eenhana, Ohangwena Region).
Namibian Sign Language
Grants
Two types of grants are available: the Disability Grant and the Vulnerable and Orphan Children Grant. The Disability Grant is open to all Deaf individuals aged 18 and above with an ID, while the Vulnerable and Orphan Children Grant is accessible to any Deaf child. To register for the Disability Grant, one must contact the Ministry of Labour, and to register for the Vulnerable and Orphan Children Grant, one must contact the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.
The grants aim to provide financial support to the beneficiaries, enabling them to pay for school hostels, as some parents of Deaf children are unemployed and unable to financially support them. However, NNAD emphasizes the importance of utilizing the grants for the benefit of the recipient and discourages others from taking advantage of them. for example, there have been cases of Deaf learners coming to school without adequate supplies of toiletries despite having received such grants, and this should be discouraged.
Hearing Aids
NNAD had a Hearing Aids distribution event with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, a USA-based foundation. This mostly benefitted the parents and other hard of hearing individuals. NNAD recognizes the need to ensure affordable or free supply of such hearing aids and welcomes donations to help meet this need.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) manual
NNAD entered into a two-year agreement with the Finnish Embassy in response to the Request for Proposal issued through its Funds for Local Cooperation. Other NGOs that also benefitted from this Fund include Ombetja yehinga Organisation, Future Farming, AfriYani, and N/a’an ku sê Sanctuary.
NNAD implemented the project titled “Namibian empowerment and equality for the deaf through skills transfer, mentorship, education & technical training (NEEDS-MET)”. As a result of the project, NNAD was able to positively transform the lives of many deaf communities.
The key objectives of the project were as follows:
- Strengthen NNAD’s organizational capacity to ensure compliance with NGO standards.
- Create NSL UNCRPD resource materials for the deaf community to ensure equal access to opportunities.
- Build capacity for NSL interpreters and NNAD to sustain equal opportunity access to services for the Namibian deaf community in line with the UNCRPD and the guarantees provided by the government of Namibia.
- Collaborate with the Namibian government and NGO partners, NSL interpreters, and NNAD to facilitate equal opportunity for the deaf in Namibia in accordance with the UNCRPD.
NNAD trained deaf individuals in 13 out of 14 regions on the UNCRPD, facilitated by Mr. Nanyeni and Mr. Sheya, and supported by sign language interpreter Ms. Erica Uushona.
UNCRPD resource materials for the deaf community to ensure equal access to opportunities.