Dubai: As part of its initiative to serve all segments of society, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has been training its customer service staff on using sign language to prepare them for a new service to help customers with special needs.
In order to help its deaf and mute customers, Dewa has chosen to train its employees to learn sign language and is cooperating with the Community Development Authority (CDA,) who are currently developing a database that helps people with special needs.
A group of Dewa employees has already completed the training, and another group is still undergoing intensive training on live video chatting using sign language.
According to Dewa, the new service adheres to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai and the UAE into a hub for humanitarian work and to promote community service.
The service also complements the “My community... a city for everyone” initiative launched by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, which aims to make the whole of Dubai a disabled-friendly city by 2020 through supporting and enhancing the emirate’s current efforts to enable people with disabilities.
Dewa’s efforts are in line with the UAE Vision 2021 which aims to position the UAE as one of the best countries in the world by achieving prosperity for all and so it supports and sponsors the social initiatives and activities of CDA, which is responsible for organising and enhancing the community development framework in Dubai.