By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Standard Bank Namibia yesterday donated N$80 000 to the Association for Children with Language, Speech and Hearing Impairments of Namibia (CLaSH).
This is the 12th consecutive year that the bank gives financial assistance to CLaSH. An amount of N$44 300 would be used for the printing of the ClaSH calendar 2008 and N$30 000 for the identification, assessment and diagnostic work needed to assist those with communication difficulties.
CLaSH was formed in 1989 as a parental self-help group, and has since become a well-respected, registered non-governmental organisation providing a wide range of support to hearing-impaired children. The organisation is also working with the Ministry of Health and Social Services to establish a deafness prevention programme for the country. The World Health Organisation has estimated that around 40% of deafness could be prevented.
“We at Standard Bank want to be part of something that can be prevented and that will ultimately lead to the improvement of the quality of life of our fellow citizens,” said the bank’s Acting Head: Marketing, Thaddius Maswahu. “It is therefore a pleasure that we once again confirm that Standard Bank has supported ClaSH.”
He said for those who are deaf the world must be quite lonely without sound.
“Nevertheless, I see a lot of happy faces here today, including the stars from the calendar, who don’t seem to mind not hearing. And why should they, they are normal people just like you and me.” The incidence of hearing loss and related communication problems in children in the country is high. Access to health care can be difficult and the quality of provision can be poor, especially in rural areas. Low awareness and irregular treatment of ear infections, low quality pre-natal medical care in many rural areas and a high incidence of malaria and meningitis in some parts of the country all contribute. Added to this is malnutrition, not uncommon when, according to the UN Development Programme, 55.8% of the Namibian population live on only US$2 per day.
“As a responsive citizen of Namibia, Standard Bank directs their social investment efforts at especially the most pressing social and economic problems faced by the people of our country,” said Maswahu.
Only two special schools in Namibia provide formal education for children who are deaf, while CLaSH provides them with teacher training, hearing aids and support in educational projects. In 1994 the institution established the first pre-school and day-care unit for deaf children in the country.
In 2006, a parent group from the Ohangwena Region in the central north of the country followed this example, and with support from CLaSH set up a pre-school in the town of Eenhana.