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Gallaudet helps out deaf victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma
Inside Gallaudet - Gallaudet University
Twelve deaf families in Myanmar* whose lives were shattered when Cyclone Nargis left a path of destruction in their country on May 3 are rebuilding their homes and gaining some stability for their futures, thanks to the generosity of the Gallaudet community.
In response to an urgent plea for help to Myanmar's deaf population affected by the powerful storm, the deadliest natural disaster in the country's history, faculty, teachers, staff, and students raised a total of $2,300. To date, $1,800 has been given directly to deaf individuals who were most in need. Gallaudet's assistance is particularly crucial because deaf people are considered of low standing in Myanmar society, and thus are pushed to the bottom of the list of aid priorities.
Myanmar is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, and the government provides no social services to deaf people. None of the people who received this support from Gallaudet had any hopes of receiving help from official sources.
The fund raising effort was initiated by Gallaudet employees Paul Dudis, Richard Lytle, Sam Weber, and Charles and Jum Reilly. The donations were transmitted by Partners in Excellence, a non-profit organization assisting deaf people worldwide. The money was sent for disbursement to Dr. Owen Wrigley, a relief worker who collaborated with deaf leaders and teachers at the Mary Chapman School for the Deaf—the one privately funded deaf school in Myanmar--in identifying deaf people who were impacted by the cyclone.
When Wrigley distributed the funds on June 8, he took photos and recorded video clips of the recipients.
Each recipient received either 200,000 Kyats ($180) or 100,000 Kyats ($90), depending on their level of need. In a country where severe poverty is the norm, this amount of money provides major help—in fact, for people living in more rural areas, it will completely rebuild their houses. And for those living closer to Yangon, the country’s largest city, it will replace a zinc sheet roof and buy desperately needed cooking implements and food supplies.
Wrigley’s full field report and video clips will be available soon online. Below are excerpts of his field notes on some of the recipients:
#4: A deaf girl, age 14, no father in the family; they live in a low income area on the outskirts of Yangon. Their shelter lost its roof and a lot of water damage.
#5: A deaf boy, age 13, in third grade. He is from a farming family across the river from Yangon in Dallah. This area sustained major destruction.
#6: A young deaf couple who work as clothes washers in a poor area. Both are graduates (fourth grade) of Mary Chapman School for the Deaf. The area around their shelter remains flooded.
#7: A family of four deaf adults--one couple, plus siblings. I have met them before and know they are good people who are also quite poor. The house is often a gathering point for other deaf people. Their house lost some roofing and had water damage. School staff correctly felt they could get by with a lesser amount to complete repairs, but I asked them to help some of the other deaf people who come to their house who may be in need. They agreed, and I have faith that they will.
#8: A deaf woman, age 32, who works as a washer. Her father was school teacher, but he died a few years ago. Her shelter sustained heavy flooding as well as wind damage.
#9: A deaf girl, age 12, who is in third grade. Her parents are dead and she lives with her grandparents. They are quite poor.
#10: A deaf boy, age 13, "over age," in Higher Kindergarten. His house was totally destroyed. He, and another boy live in Laputta, where the entire town was destroyed.
#11: A deaf boy, age 14, in seventh grade in a mixed program with a hearing school next door to the Mary Chapman School for the Deaf. His family's house was also entirely lost.
#12: A deaf girl, age 7, in second grade. She lives in a rural area out beyond Hlaing Thayar, a huge urban resettlement zone of high density poverty across the river from Yangon. The girl is very bright.
“Sending our assistance directly to deaf people sent a clear message about the equal worth of all people in Myanmar,” said Reilly. “Yet while 12 families were helped, many more deaf people were turned away for lack of funds. If more people will donate now, we can get it into needy hands quickly. A little bit goes a long way there.”
Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Partners in Excellence, 4300 Tuckerman Street, University Park, MD 20782. Or, checks may be given to Charles Reilly in HMBS 422 or Richard Lytle in CO 203.
* The military junta changed the name of Burma to Myanmar in 1989. Although the name change has been adopted by the United Nations system, the U.S. government does not recognize this change, nor does it acknowledge their government with full diplomatic relations.
Inside Gallaudet - Gallaudet University
Twelve deaf families in Myanmar* whose lives were shattered when Cyclone Nargis left a path of destruction in their country on May 3 are rebuilding their homes and gaining some stability for their futures, thanks to the generosity of the Gallaudet community.
In response to an urgent plea for help to Myanmar's deaf population affected by the powerful storm, the deadliest natural disaster in the country's history, faculty, teachers, staff, and students raised a total of $2,300. To date, $1,800 has been given directly to deaf individuals who were most in need. Gallaudet's assistance is particularly crucial because deaf people are considered of low standing in Myanmar society, and thus are pushed to the bottom of the list of aid priorities.
Myanmar is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, and the government provides no social services to deaf people. None of the people who received this support from Gallaudet had any hopes of receiving help from official sources.
The fund raising effort was initiated by Gallaudet employees Paul Dudis, Richard Lytle, Sam Weber, and Charles and Jum Reilly. The donations were transmitted by Partners in Excellence, a non-profit organization assisting deaf people worldwide. The money was sent for disbursement to Dr. Owen Wrigley, a relief worker who collaborated with deaf leaders and teachers at the Mary Chapman School for the Deaf—the one privately funded deaf school in Myanmar--in identifying deaf people who were impacted by the cyclone.
When Wrigley distributed the funds on June 8, he took photos and recorded video clips of the recipients.
Each recipient received either 200,000 Kyats ($180) or 100,000 Kyats ($90), depending on their level of need. In a country where severe poverty is the norm, this amount of money provides major help—in fact, for people living in more rural areas, it will completely rebuild their houses. And for those living closer to Yangon, the country’s largest city, it will replace a zinc sheet roof and buy desperately needed cooking implements and food supplies.
Wrigley’s full field report and video clips will be available soon online. Below are excerpts of his field notes on some of the recipients:
#4: A deaf girl, age 14, no father in the family; they live in a low income area on the outskirts of Yangon. Their shelter lost its roof and a lot of water damage.
#5: A deaf boy, age 13, in third grade. He is from a farming family across the river from Yangon in Dallah. This area sustained major destruction.
#6: A young deaf couple who work as clothes washers in a poor area. Both are graduates (fourth grade) of Mary Chapman School for the Deaf. The area around their shelter remains flooded.
#7: A family of four deaf adults--one couple, plus siblings. I have met them before and know they are good people who are also quite poor. The house is often a gathering point for other deaf people. Their house lost some roofing and had water damage. School staff correctly felt they could get by with a lesser amount to complete repairs, but I asked them to help some of the other deaf people who come to their house who may be in need. They agreed, and I have faith that they will.
#8: A deaf woman, age 32, who works as a washer. Her father was school teacher, but he died a few years ago. Her shelter sustained heavy flooding as well as wind damage.
#9: A deaf girl, age 12, who is in third grade. Her parents are dead and she lives with her grandparents. They are quite poor.
#10: A deaf boy, age 13, "over age," in Higher Kindergarten. His house was totally destroyed. He, and another boy live in Laputta, where the entire town was destroyed.
#11: A deaf boy, age 14, in seventh grade in a mixed program with a hearing school next door to the Mary Chapman School for the Deaf. His family's house was also entirely lost.
#12: A deaf girl, age 7, in second grade. She lives in a rural area out beyond Hlaing Thayar, a huge urban resettlement zone of high density poverty across the river from Yangon. The girl is very bright.
“Sending our assistance directly to deaf people sent a clear message about the equal worth of all people in Myanmar,” said Reilly. “Yet while 12 families were helped, many more deaf people were turned away for lack of funds. If more people will donate now, we can get it into needy hands quickly. A little bit goes a long way there.”
Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Partners in Excellence, 4300 Tuckerman Street, University Park, MD 20782. Or, checks may be given to Charles Reilly in HMBS 422 or Richard Lytle in CO 203.
* The military junta changed the name of Burma to Myanmar in 1989. Although the name change has been adopted by the United Nations system, the U.S. government does not recognize this change, nor does it acknowledge their government with full diplomatic relations.