Mission to Myanmar
5-8 February 2007
Since APCD's inception in 2002, Myanmar has been
prioritized as one of the target countries and has strategically
developed human resources in the fields of Self-help Groups/
Organizations of People with Disabilities (SHG/SHO of PWD)
and Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR). Totally, 29
persons, including 2 deaf persons and 4 teachers from the
schools for the deaf in Yangon and Mandalay, participated
in the training of these fields at APCD, Bangkok.
Since APCD has had a trust relationship with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) as a Focal Point and former deaf participants shared their needs for a standardized Burmese sign language, APCD linked them with the JICA Myanmar Office to consider possible relevant cooperation. In 2006, APCD advised the DSW to draft a project proposal for a standardized sign language to promote social participation of the deaf community and facilitate closer cooperation among various stakeholders (e.g., DSW, schools for the deaf, deaf people) through their collaborative work. APCD had facilitated former deaf participants and their deaf peers to be involved in the project formulation and work closely with DSW.
The Director of APCD and a JICA Expert were dispatched to Yangon and Mandalay from 5 - 8 February 2007 to participate in a series of meetings between a JICA HQ Mission Team and the Burmese authority/persons concerning a new domestic project entitled "Project for Supporting Social Welfare Administration: Promotion of Social Participation of the Deaf Community". This project is noteworthy since it is the first time for the DSW to implement a project with international cooperation by JICA, and that non-governmental stakeholders such as deaf persons representing their SHG/SHO have been participating since the project formulation began. The JICA Headquarter Mission included deaf resource persons recommended by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf.
Through meetings, a Project Design Matrix developed which included:
Overall Goal: Promote full participation of deaf persons in society in Yangon and Mandalay.
Project Purpose: Strengthen joint planning and implementation of activities between social welfare administrators and the deaf community.
Expected Output:
- The deaf community acquire the capacity to assess the vocabulary of the existing standardized sign language (SSL).
- The SSL grammar development through the initiative of the deaf community.
- That deaf persons and their families, prospective sign language interpreters and teachers at the schools for the deaf acquire SSL.
- Improved awareness among community members (general public) of deaf persons.
According to APCD Project's Terminal Evaluation in October 2006, APCD needs to make further effort in accommodating a variety of disability groups in its future activities. A draft proposal for the APCD Project Phase II includes further cooperation with deaf stakeholders. Although the details of the Phase II Project will be discussed further, the following options seem possible for APCD to collaborate with the above New Project in Myanmar:
- Inviting the New Myanmar Project personnel to relevant regular training courses at APCD.
- Organizing training in Myanmar (Thailand) especially for the New Myanmar Project personnel.
- Relevant information support and exchange.
This Mission opportunity enabled APCD to monitor former deaf participants with in-depth information, and it is strongly hoped that former APCD participants will continue to actively participate in the project.
