Deaf Enabled Foundation
| ISIN | 🆔 |
|---|---|
| Industry | Non-Governmental Organisation |
| Founded 📆 | 2009 |
| Founder 👔 | |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | Navkethan Complex, Secunderabad, India |
Area served 🗺️ | India |
Key people |
|
| Services | |
| Members | |
Number of employees | 80 (2020) |
| 🌐 Website | def |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
The Deaf Enabled Foundation (DEF) is an Indian non-profit organisation that was started by a deaf visionary Shri TKM Sandeep in 2009. Although it began in a small room in Hyderabad, DEF has its centres in 9 states of India namely Hyderabad, Chennai, Vijayawada, Indore, Thanjavur, Puducherry, Thane, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The headquarters of DEF is situated at Navakethan Complex, Secunderabad. It is dedicated to empowering and uplifting the country's deaf citizenry through awareness drives, educational courses, and job recruitment facilities. As of date, it is one of the few organisations in India to be run by the deaf and for the deaf. Around 80 per cent of this organisation's employees constitute deaf people while the rest comprise of hearing people who hail from families having deaf people as its members. "Deafness with dignity" is its primary motto.[1]
The Inception of Deaf EnAbled Foundation
Inspired by the ideals of late JSK Rao, a well-known activist for deaf empowerment in erstwhile state Andhra Pradesh, a young deaf visionary TKM Sandeep started an NGO that would not just guide the deaf in the fields of education & employment but would cater to develop them into wholesome beings who are independent, confident, and skilled at whatever they want to do. From a small group of deaf people towards a common goal of an inclusive society to an organisation that is providing employment to 80 deaf people and over 20 non-deaf people, Deaf EnAbled Foundation is working for inclusivity within their own workspaces.
Services
DEF Skills
The biggest challenge that deaf Indians face, is that of employment. Social stigma and lack of industry-required skills force most members of this community to settle for menial jobs or be dependent on their non-deaf family members to survive.
Thus, DEF initiated a unique skill training and development programme for the deaf which doesn't just identify the strengths and weaknesses of individuals but guides them about how to utilise their talent towards building a decent life and a dignified career. This programme also includes courses on personality development which helps a deaf individual to transform into a wholesome being. As a part of the programme, deaf persons are trained to accomplish basic tasks like filling a form or making an enquiry, thereby encouraging them to become confident and independent individuals.[2]
DEF-Academy
Deaf students need additional help in Indian Sign Language so they can understand and perform well in the courses they undertake. Keeping this in mind DEF established Coaching Classes for students doing various courses from the Board of Intermediate Education for Higher Education or through Annamalai University or Andhra University. A trained and experienced teacher enables these students to complete their curriculum and perform well in their respective courses.
Currently, there are Deaf students from DEF doing Intermediate courses at the Senior Secondary level, as well as Deaf students pursuing their Bachelor of Commerce degree in Computer Application from both Annamalai University and Osmania University through DEF’s Coaching Classes. The teachers and coaches are equipped to aid any deaf students pursuing their education in Class 11 or 12, as well as those seeking their Bachelor of Commerce degree through Indian Sign Language and written English mediums. Due to the pandemic, the organisation has also started online education support to its students in the form DEF E-Academy and would be releasing the country's first mobile-based education application called EduSign Academy on android platforms.
DEF-ISL
DEF aims to bridge the gap between the hearing and the deaf. With this goal in mind, DEF provides Sign Language courses for anyone who is interested in learning it as a language. For a hearing person, learning Sign Language can be an enriching experience. He/she would learn a new language enabling him/her to communicate with the Deaf and hard of hearing people causing a fusion of different cultures. In fact, this wing of DEF also provides quality Indian Sign Language interpreters to court proceedings, public meetings, corporate meetings, police investigations and more.[3] [4][5] [6]
DEF-Awareness Drives
DEF is imparting advocacy training to deaf persons so as to empower them and enable them to stand up for their rights. This helps the deaf community to become more proactive in social and legal matters that concern them as citizens. Concerned that the future of its organization and the deaf community could only be secured through well-trained and groomed leaders, Deaf Enabled Foundation also conducts Leadership Training workshops for the youth, aspiring for a better future for the deaf in India. Moreover, the organisation encourages comprehensive development of the deaf youth and therefore organizes adventure camps. These camps help in developing positive attitudes, building leadership skills, inculcating a sense of responsibility and team spirit among them. Activities in camp include river rafting, rock climbing, rappelling, trekking, etc.
Another crucial aspect that DEF prides itself on is its empowerment programmes for deaf women. Deaf women are prioritised as vulnerable in the Deaf community because they are doubly disadvantaged in society. DEF conducts regular seminars and workshops to equip them with the skills they need to lead a fulfilling life. Training Programmes are organized for Deaf Women in which they are given information on Universal Human Rights, gender-related issues, sexual harassment, domestic violence and the like. They go through group exercises that help develop self-awareness and motivate them to work towards a secure life.
Last but not the least, DEF believes that bringing up deaf children and preparing them for a better future is very important. Therefore, it is actively involved in organizing activities that bring children from various deaf schools and institutions together. DEF organizes an annual Children’s Mela where deaf children are given every opportunity to forget their disability and enjoy themselves through games and fun-filled activities. Free lunch and snacks are also provided. This is a great opportunity for them to interact with other children helping them expand the horizon of their minds. DEF ensures that the Deaf children have a good time by organising puppet shows, mime or theatre shows for them. Also, annual painting and quiz competitions are organised for these children as a means to encourage them to learn and explore more about the world.[7] [8][9][10]
Each year, Deaf EnAbled Foundation recognizes the work of outstanding students and teachers in various Deaf schools in Hyderabad and Chennai through a unique awarding ceremony named after the legendary teacher Hellen Keller called, "Helen Keller Students’ Award and Annie Sullivan Teachers’ Award (Recognition of Academic Excellence Award)" [11]
Other Activities
1. HIV Awareness Workshops
2. Cultural Programmes for the Deaf
3. Theatre and Mime Programmes
4. Counselling for family members of the Deaf
The International Day of the Deaf Celebrations (IDD)
The International Day of the Deaf is of great importance to the Deaf community. A peace rally is organized in order to raise awareness and sensitize the hearing people to the problems of the Deaf community. On this occasion, week-long activities are held which include an Inter-School Painting and Quiz Competition for the Deaf in all the ten cities.
Milestones of DEF
DEF-ISL (Indian Sign Language Mobile App)
In 2016, DEF released its first Indian Sign Language dictionary CD which was inaugurated by the then Minister of Sports Hon’ble Minister for Sports & Youth Services, Excise & Prohibition, Govt of Telangana, T. Padma Rao Goud. Following its success, the organisation launched the country's largest sign language dictionary in form of a mobile application making it accessible for any individual who wished to learn it.[12] Packed with 50,000+ easy-to-understand signs and phrases, the DEF-ISL app makes learning sign language easy, accessible, and interesting. This project promotes a more inclusive society by enabling people to learn ISL to reach out to the Deaf community more easily. The DEF ISL App was initially by sponsored L&T Construction under its Corporate Social Responsibility wing and was promoted by B. Venkatesham, who was an IAS officer of the Telangana Tourism department. Priya Anand, an Indian Actress was chosen as the ambassador for the project. Today with more than one lakh users, this application is gaining recognition from all around the country. Currently, the application is supported by Digient Technologies India Ltd and RRD (R.R. Donnelley) Chennai.
EduSign Academy Mobile App: Digital Education for the Deaf
EduSign Academy, a brainchild of Deaf EnAbled Foundation, is a unique initiative that will help to bolster deaf education in India. Offering matriculation and bachelor courses in Indian Sign Language for deaf students in Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Common Syllabus, EduSign Academy aims to bridge academic gap in the digital age that has been further accelerated due to COVID19 pandemic. With an aim to transform the deaf community into a potential workforce and to ensure deaf lead secured and dignified lives, the project provides free courses in basic communication, life skills and computer education in a user friendly and interactive format. The user is equipped with knowledge that is tested through quizzes and one-on-one discussion sessions with our trained deaf instructors. EduSign Academy, hence, is a thought provocative idea that expresses our organisation's quest to build an inclusive India with an empowered deaf community. Currently, the application development cost is being supported by Bahl Family.
COVID19 Relief Measures for the Deaf Community
After coronavirus wreaked havoc in India, the country's deaf citizenry suffered the worst. From limited accessibility to news updates, to the financial crisis, from lack of sufficient food to disruption in education, the deaf community faced innumerable challenges in order to survive the pandemic.
Hence, DEF along with its individual donors and CSR partners raised funds in order to supply monthly ration and other medical essentials to several poor deaf families living in both cities and the remote villages of the country. It engaged with the government officials to help the deaf migrants safely reach their families. DEF and its teams also helped in providing monetary assistance to those families whose deaf members lost their livelihood due to the pandemic. In fact, it took the responsibility to aid pregnant women with medical assistance and disbursed medical kits for the same. Last but not the least, DEF ensured that the deaf youth didn't lag behind their able counterparts in education by shifting their coaching classes online and have recently announced the launch of India's mobile-based education application for the deaf called EduSign Academy.[13][14]
Initiatives of DEF
Talking Hands Cafe
A few years ago, the leaders of the Deaf EnAbled Foundation strongly determined to run a start-up solely by deaf people, not just to provide them a dignified livelihood opportunity but also to equip them with entrepreneurship skills. In fact, they believed that this innovative concept would create the buzz required to highlight the abilities of the deaf. The Telangana State tourism department took interest in this initiative and helped DEF by leasing one of their facilities at Tourism Plaza, Begumpet for a year. It was from here that India’s first silent diner- “Talking Hands” began its journey. Situated on the ground floor Talking Hands has provided a wide range of food options for hungry Hyderabadis for nearly three years since its inception in August 2017. It was earlier under the aegis of DEF but with its commercial success, the brand was transferred under the entity titled DEF Hospitality Services LLP which is currently owned by Shri TKM Sandeep, founder of DEF, and Ms Ramya Miryala, Director of DEF to comply with new tax norms of the state and central government. The restaurant also became a favourite spot for many individuals and corporates to host their events or guests. Following the success of this food joint, DEF LLP opened a smaller café under the same franchise at Navketan Complex, Secunderabad. But unfortunately, the COVID19 pandemic had hit the restaurant, financially. Hence, the restaurant operations were halted indefinitely. But 24 deaf employees of the restaurant were accommodated within various roles at the café and the organisation to ensure they could sustain their families.[15][16]
CSR Training Partnerships
- Tech Mahindra Foundation[17]
- L&T Construction[18]
- Digient Technologies Pvt Ltd[19]
- RRD (R.R. Donnelley Chennai)[20]
- PMJ Jewels[21]
- EATON India Foundation[22]
Dignitaries with Deaf EnAbled Foundation
Chief Guest for the tenth anniversary of the Deaf EnAbled Foundation was Shri Banwarilal Purohit, Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu. He graced the occasion and presented Recognition Awards for Academic Excellence to students, teachers and gave away Appreciation Awards to CSR Supporters at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Tamil Nadu. Anniversary Celebrations of Deaf EnAbled Foundation
Awards & Recognition
- 2010: Humanitarian Services Excellence Award from Konda Lakshman Bapuji Universal Foundation
- 2011: NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Award for Role Model NGO
- 2020: Youngistaan Foundation with the presentation of the Corona Yoddha Samman Award
References
- ↑ Kaleru, Vasavi (February 7, 2021). "Hyderabad: Meeting needs of specially challenged". www.thehansindia.com.
- ↑ Desk, CXOtoday News (July 15, 2021). "EATON EMPOWERS YOUTH THROUGH MENTORING AND SKILLING INITIATIVES". CXOToday.com.
- ↑ "'Learning sign language will help bridge the gap'". October 18, 2016 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ↑ "Non-Verbal Communication Session by Deaf Enabled Foundation, DEF, Chennai". September 17, 2019.
- ↑ India, The Hans (August 7, 2021). "Hyderabad: Kendriya Vidyalaya hosts virtual interactive workshop on sign language". www.thehansindia.com.
- ↑ "Why it is important for people to sign up for this | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ↑ "Disability no deterrence to competitive spirit here". The Hindu. 19 February 2011.
- ↑ "Painting competition throws light on their talents". The Hindu. December 1, 2016 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ↑ "A silent quiz show for children". The Hindu. October 18, 2016 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ↑ "Competitions held for the hearing impaired". The New Indian Express.
- ↑ https://www.dnis.org/NCPEDP-Shell-Helen-Keller-Award-Brochure-2011.pdf
- ↑ "Launching programme of Indian Sign Language DVD".
- ↑ "COVID Blog: How Indian Disability Non-profits are Evolving to Face the Challenges of COVID-19". World Institute on Disability. December 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Coronavirus: The disabled Indians fighting for their livelihoods". BBC News. September 29, 2020.
- ↑ "TALKING HANDS RESTAURANT: A SPECIAL CULINARY EXPERIMENT - Tech Mahindra Foundation". 11 January 2018.
- ↑ "Run by the deaf, this unique Hyderabad restaurant serves sign language lessons too". The News Minute. November 19, 2017.
- ↑ "Tech Mahindra". February 17, 2022 – via Wikipedia.
- ↑ "Larsen & Toubro". January 24, 2022 – via Wikipedia.
- ↑ "Best & Trusted IT and Software Product Development and Outsourcing Company in India". Digient.
- ↑ "RR Donnelley". January 16, 2022 – via Wikipedia.
- ↑ "Home Page". www.pmjjewels.com.
- ↑ "Corporate Social Responsibility". www.eaton.in.
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