New steps towards a group of people with deafblindness

During the second half of March, in 20-23 March 2023, we organised in Predeal the workshop of the group of people with deafblindness, an activity which is part of the project The Voice of People with Deafblindness in Romania.

A group of 19 young women and men, together with 9 parents, 1 teacher, 2 sign language interpreters and Sense International Romania team took the first steps together in setting up the group of people with deafblindness in Romania.

Together, we approached topics such as: what is deafblindness, what are the causes, how people with deafblindness communicate, the importance of sign language interpreters for people with deafblindness, the red and white cane, Vasile Adamescu and Helen Keller. We went through some rights and principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities: accessibility, work, participation to political life, freedom and safety. Through role play, theatre, drawing and painting, we learned from each other how important it is to look after one another and ourselves.

”I was happy to attend all activities. It was a great opportunity to interact, for the first time, with a group consisting of people with deafblindness, to be in contact with numerous valuable information, to meet new people and spend a couple of days in a warm atmosphere, characterised by a constant preoccupation for the well being of everyone present. ” B.S., Young man with deafblindness attending the workshop.

This workshop was the second in a series of four such activities, where we have already managed to identify a group of 43 people with deafblindness, supporting them to have a voice, know and fight for their own rights.

”This meeting helped us, the mums, to better know ourselves and to share experiences, learn from each other, be strong, not give up and fight for our children, regardless of the situation, the conditions and everything the society has to offer”, the group of 9 mothers.

Sign language interpretation was ensured by Rodica Halus and Monica Savin, from the Romanian National Association of the Deaf, whom we kindly thank for their effort and congratulate for their participation and involvement.

Working together for a green, competitive and inclusive Europe

The project is implemented by the Foundation Sense International Romania in partnership with Sense International UK and benefits from a 149.668,89 euros grant from Active Citizens Fund Romania, programme funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants Grants 2014 -2021. The content of this materiale does not necessarily reflect the official position of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021; for more information visit www.eeagrants.org. More details about Active Citizens Fund Romania are available at www.activecitizensfund.ro.