By Lindelwa Dlamini
MBABANE – The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla pleads with women with disabilities Sizakele Maziya and Nozipho Vilane to represent Eswatini well, as they go out to Kenya to take part in their studies.
These two women would be pursuing Deaf Hand Bible translators training in Kenya for a period of three to six months. The DPM made this plea during an event held at Summerfield Botanical Gardens yesterday (Thursday, July 18, 2024).
The DPM congratulated them and highlighted the importance of this training and urge these ladies to represent the country well. She emphasised that a despatched challenges Eswatini acknowledges and addresses disability issues.
Dladla continued to encourage them to be resourceful upon their return and to spearhead initiatives such as introducing sign language in tertiary institutions to promote inclusive education, which would not only help them, but the nation as well.
“Once the teachers have been trained in sign language it will then be introduced in schools. Every one of us, including parents, should know basic sign language to ease communication. My office has already set aside a budget to train parents with deaf children,” she said.
The Bible Society of Eswatini Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ngcebo Mbuli, who is also the Chairperson for Disability Council, said that the two ladies have been sponsored an amount of E750 000 by and organisation known as Wycliffe, which was in South Africa. The E750 000, according to Mbuli, is for the training and other expenses, including flights and monthly allowances.
“There is another group that previously went to study and they came back with so much knowledge which has been impactful. These two will be joining others from seven other countries that are taking part in this training, which are mostly from Africa,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the students Sizakele Maziya acknowledged Wycliffe for giving them this opportunity to go and study. She assured them that they would take their studies seriously and promise to bring back the knowledge they would acquire in Kenya and share it with others.
The Executive Director for Swaziland Association of the Deaf community Makhosini Makhubu encourages the government to enroll a lot of people in sign language in order to limit communication barriers and to cut stigma.
