Workshop for Bal Kalyan Sanstha

21st of July found us conducting another workshop for teachers of the deaf at Balkalyan Sanstha. There were 37 teachers from all over Maharashtra. This time though, the enthusiasm levels were not comparable with those at our first workshop. These were teachers from government schools who've been there and done that ( enough said?!). They were tough customers who wanted solutions from Avanti!! Teachers who've been in the line over 25 years ...Avanti has no sure-fire solutions, only a team which taught ISL...a language which is used by the deaf all over India...in its different versions and dialects. A team which recommends using a language the deaf are comfortable with...much as we are comfortable in our own mother tongues. It was a great day for learning...for Avanti, for the team of instructors and hopefully for the teachers who attended. These teachers are from inclusive schools ...where hearing and deaf kids study together. But the surprising part was the obvious lack of interest in communicating directly with the 4 deaf adults who were conducting the workshop except when the actual demonstration of signs began. India has a long way to go before empahty becomes an oft-used word. May God lead us in the right direction. Amen!!

Speedbreakers

We have identified one instructor for Pune. Now to begin classes.

We're hoping for August.

Rights and wrongs

Em-Power Point-ers

Feedback from a participant

Rujuta Teradesai attended our workshop and THIS is what she has to say.

Our First workshop..Media and our foot in the door!

Indian Express and its story

Pune News

It is easy to have dreams...but difficult to realise them. To do that one needs the support of family, friends, wellwishers and God. We, at Avanti!!, got lucky last weekend!

We had at the workshop, veterans workers for the Deaf like Mrs. Dhun Adenwala, Mrs. Geeta Sanadi, Mrs. Lagu, deaf adults/children with families, hearing youngsters wanting to make a difference and our own team. We also had our duo from AYJIHH Mumbai - Shafique and Tushar.

It was an emotionally charged weekend...we discussed ignorance, arrogance, apathy and lack of facilities and opportunity - educational and vocational - in India. The deaf came up to share their experiences and there were many in the crowd who broke down and cried. There were plenty of laughs when the instructors began to teach some basic signs and many hearing people signed clumsily. We learnt a lot and by the time the workshop was over, a bond was established between the hearing and the deaf. It was an almost spiritual experience...one we'll carry with us for ever.

Much needs to be done, we know. But atleast our foot is now firmly in the door.

Our next logical step is to set up classes in the Sign Language in Pune. We plan to begin in June. Mail us at avanti-pune@hotmail.com if you are interested in reaching out to the world - special and ordinary.

Avanti - Direction

Avanti!!

We, at Avanti!!,

Do not argue with conservative methods of dealing with disabilities

Do not wish to take on any battle with established ways of dealing with disabilities

Wish to erase stigmas attached to disabilities

Wish to spread awareness about disabilities and sensitize society to the problems faced by the disabled

Wish to eradicate apathy

Want society to make an effort to communicate with the disabled using methods THEY find convenient

Do NOT want to force society’s idea of ‘normal’ on those who are disabled

Want to know what ‘normal’ means and who decides its meaning

Want to know why ‘normal’ is superior to ‘special’

Want to know which ‘normal’ person would like to be called ‘special’ because of his/her disabilities

We know no change occurs overnight and request your company in this long journey to a better, more sensitive world.

Welcome aboard!

The workshop

Avanti!!

Sign Language Workshop

Our first Sign language workshop in Pune will be conducted by a certified interpreter trained in Mumbai. She has worked with the hearing impaired for a considerable amount of time and we are proud to have her on our team. We will also be roping in another certified instructor from Mumbai who will take us through the basics of Signing.

This will be an introductory workshop for two days over the third weekend of April 2007. Its aim is to introduce the Sign language and its advantages to families and friends of (and also to) hearing impaired children and adults. It is easier for the hearing impaired to sign than to try and speak. We must facilitate better communication with them if we do not want to be denied access to intelligent minds which are struggling to be heard.

We live in a country where many different languages are spoken and understood. We also have foreign languages being taught in schools and colleges. We hope to add Braille and the Sign language to the list.

Do come.

Avanti!!
Workshop dates: 21 & 22 April 2007
Timing: 10.30 AM ~ 3.30 PM
(Refreshments will be served at lunch time.)

Venue: 434, Clover Center - D, Moledina Road, Pune- 1

For further details, please write to: avanti-pune@hotmail.com

Avanti!! - An introduction

Avanti!!

Come on in! Welcome to a world where you can listen to colors and paint a song…where the only language spoken is that which touches everybody – Love.

Avanti!! is a small team of committed individuals who believe that each of us is special in some way, each of us is different - flawed and perfect at the same time and that the beauty of nature lies in these differences.

We want to learn (alongwith others who think like us) to respect our differences instead of trying to erase them….to learn to appreciate what is natural, though it might not fit in with our definition of ‘normal’…to sing new songs and discover new colors alongwith our special friends.

We do not want to inconvenience them by asking them to learn our languages…we want to learn to speak theirs, so that we can trade stories and laugh together…to be as special to them as they are to us, so that we have a world which is truly without borders.

Come on in, lets all discover this beautiful world together.