“Nine deaf British volunteers under the supervision of Carolyn Denmark also arrived in Kathmandu on the same day to take part in the second phase of the Global Xchange program,” announced the National Volunteering Officer, VSO, Jeevan Shrestha, at a press meet held on Wednesday. “The Global Xchange program has been held twice prior to this, but this is the first time we had all deaf volunteers,” he added. [break]
During the three-month-long first phase, which began in October 2009, all 18 volunteers stayed in Preston, UK with host families and worked on two theater productions—‘The Traveller’ and ‘Kamala’s Baby’—which were performed at various theaters in UK.
As part of the second phase the volunteers will stay at host families in Kathmandu and will be working with different organizations such as Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA), Naxal Deaf School and Nepal Mountaineering Association, in addition to creating more deaf/sign language theater pieces.
“There are currently 24 district deaf associations affiliated to NFDH. Our aim is to have associations in all 75 districts and to emphasize the rights of deaf people in the new law,” put in Ram Lal Shrestha, NFDH Chairperson and furthered, “The deaf community should be able to take the lead.”
Similarly, Paula Middleton, Country Director of British Council Nepal emphasized, “Equal opportunity and diversity are mainstream to all of our programs.”
The plays will be staged at the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu on Friday, January 22 at 5 pm. All volunteers are aged between 18 and 25.
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