US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1279

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001279 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, SCUL, ECON, EAID, DJ 
SUBJECT: DEAF SCHOOL OPENS AT GIRLS' ORPHANAGE 
 
1. (U) Summary: The Association for the Protection of Mother 
and Child opened 15 September a school for deaf children on 
the grounds of the Girls' Orphanage.  Pol/Econ and Pol 
Assistant visited the school and toured the orphanage on 30 
September.  At the moment the center runs three classes daily 
for deaf children.  The Association hopes to have a total of 
six classes daily available in the future. Also available to 
the girls are study programs in vocational studies, Arabic 
language, and French language study programs. End Summary. 
 
2. (U) In Djibouti, as is the case in many parts of the 
world, having a deaf child is seen as a shame to the family. 
The subject is not discussed and the child is not engaged in 
the society as a whole.  For this reason, it is surprising to 
hear of a school for the deaf opening its doors to the 
public.  Placed within the grounds of the Girls' Orphanage, 
the Association for the Protection of Mother and Child has 
opened three classes for deaf children, and their parents, in 
Djibouti City.  The director of the center, Yonis Awad Djama, 
said having three classes is merely a beginning and the 
center hopes to expand to six classes once more funds are 
available.  Djama said in preparation for opening, the center 
took a survey in the neighborhood of Balbala, one of the most 
populous neighborhoods, to find out a general number of those 
interested in such a center.  The survey showed, in Balbala 
alone, there were 300 deaf children.  Djama said there are 
probably many more throughout the capital city and in the 
districts. 
 
3. (U) Djama stated the belief of the center that all 
children should be cared for and a child's deafness should 
not mean the end of their world.  The school employs teachers 
from a similar association based in Somaliland.  The teachers 
are trained in Somaliland and use Kenyan sign language 
because it is closest culturally and will facilitate life in 
the region more than a European or American sign language. 
Djama said this project is being funded by the association 
itself to start, but it will have to request aid from other 
donors if there is an intent to maintain or expand classes. 
Classes are offered free of all charges to the parents of 
deaf children making it possible for families who have 
difficulty sending healthy children to school to consider 
their deaf child for schooling.  The average age in the deaf 
classes is six.  For the moment, the center is only taking 
students up to age 12.  Djama said there are plans to expand 
the age range. 
 
4. (U) The center tries to provide transportation to and from 
the child's house on a daily basis for both the parent and 
child.  They are limited by their resources which consist of 
a large bus donated by the French military.  It is difficult 
to get parts for the model of bus in Djibouti so it takes 
much longer to repair when it breaks. 
 
5. (U) The girls orphanage, and the Association as a whole, 
is one of the most active organizations in Djibouti City. 
The orphanage has reformed the way it operates in the past 
three years by placing an emphasis on self-sufficiency and 
giving the girls new opportunities to learn.  As well as the 
deaf school, the Association teaches classes in the Arab 
school program for girls unable to succeed in the French 
curriculum at Djibouti public schools.  The center tries to 
make all the girls feel as if they have a skill that they can 
do well.  In this regard, if the girls do not succeed in the 
Arabic curriculum, they are given the option of pottery or 
sewing.  All the girls in the orphanage attend these classes, 
which as Djama said, allows the girls to see that some people 
are stronger in certain subjects where others are not.  This, 
he continued, gives them a sense of pride instead of focusing 
on their lack of success in another subject. 
 
6. (U) The orphanage's sewing, pottery, and baking classes 
are part of workshops that the orphanage uses to support 
itself.  Girls that participate in the workshops earn a 
portion of the proceeds from the sale of their items - to 
encourage the idea that hard work is rewarded.  The center's 
bakery produces first for their own use and then sells the 
extra to the general public.  It is working on expanding the 
bakery to include more than just bread.  The desire is to be 
able to bake and sell the full range of baked goods, 
including sweet breads and pastries.  Djama also tries to 
involve the girls in management of the center. 
 
7. (U) The orphanage is also in the process to establishing 
and expanding its library.  With the aid of a grant from the 
Chinese, the orphanage now has computers in the library for 
the girls and a full computer center for training both 
orphanage residents and outside clients.  Djama said one 
person is employed to teach computer skills to the girls and 
as a cooperation with the Government, earns fees for classes 
given to the Service National Adaptee (Adapted National 
Service - a program within the Djiboutian army that combines 
job skill training and military service for young people). 
Djama wants to add an Internet connection to the library and 
to expand computer classes eventually.  He also said the lack 
of books and other learning materials is slow to be filled, 
but books in English are expected from the Embassy's Public 
Diplomacy office. 
 
8. (U) Djama encourages the idea of cooperation over charity. 
 In response to Pol/Econ's question regarding the level of 
volunteers from the French, American or Djiboutian community, 
he said the center prefers that if a person comes to teach 
the girls something, the center provides them a service in 
return.  For example, many French military wives help the 
girls with their lessons. In return, the girls teach the 
wives sewing or pottery.  Djama said bringing in people from 
other cultures for exchanges like this allows the girls to 
see that there is more to the world than just Djibouti. 
RAGSDALE