Voice of the Deaf is a non-profit organisation founded by six people who have a strong love and passion for deaf and hard of hearing people. The Newcastle Advertiser spoke with three members of the organisation to learn more about their volunteer work.
Pastor Mkhize, Smangele Ntshalintshali, and Sphephelo Hlatshwayo all want to make a difference in Newcastle’s deaf community.
They intend to use their foundation to provide assistance, advocate for the deaf, and teach sign language to the general public.
“I want the deaf community to be fully integrated into society and to have access to what is going on in the world. They must feel valued, important, and, most importantly, understood,” Mkhize said.
They founded the non-profit with Sphephelo Hlatshwayo, a confident and outspoken deaf woman who is also an outspoken advocate for the deaf.
Hlatshwayo has a unique perspective because she speaks about the deaf from a personal perspective, bringing knowledge gained only through lived experience.
“It’s difficult to live in a world where the majority of people cannot communicate with you, especially because our disability is not visible and we appear ‘normal,’ so people don’t make allowances for us,” she says.
The organisation would welcome any help from anyone who can help them achieve their goal of making a difference in the lives of the deaf in Newcastle.
Read the full article in the upcoming edition of the Newcastle Advertiser
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