Breaching hearing barrier

Abu Dhabi: "Charity begins at home," says Nisha Thomas, headmistress at the Special Care Centre in Abu Dhabi. With that in mind, Nisha put her belief into practice by employing one of the centre's former special needs students.

Mariam Perviaz Bhatti is a slightly reserved 22-year-old whose hearing is impaired. She was a student at the SCC for four years before she left to Pakistan after 6th grade, and has now returned to the centre as an assistant arts and crafts teacher. "I am now able to follow what the children I teach are saying," says Mariam in sign language, which her former teacher translates.

Graduated

"With smaller children, I can just show them what they have to do, and with the older children I can follow what they say and they understand sign language."

Mariam is the eldest of five children and lives in Abu Dhabi with her parents. She graduated from the Sir Syed Academy in Rawalpindi, Pakistan with a Bachelor in Arts. "I work from 9am to 12pm and I really enjoy being with the children," explains Mariam.

"I teach needle work to senior students, colouring to sub-juniors and arts and crafts to juniors."

The SCC, which was inaugurated in 1989, provides educational and developmental services to physically and mentally challenged children.

Only 10 children filled the classrooms at the time, but the centre now counts over 70 students with various disabilities. The arts and crafts unit of the SCC is an integral part of the centre, where the children are provided with skills in colouring, drawing and painting.

According to the developmental needs of a child, arts and crafts training is used as a therapy, a means to develop vocational skills or to provide an alternative leisure activity for the children.

Mariam used to wear a hearing aid throughout high school and university, but says she removed it once she finished her studies. "I don't like to wear it anymore and it's better for me to lip read."

Her struggle

Her former teacher, Kusamam Mathew - a specialist in hearing impairment, speech, audiology and sign language - says that because Mariam is shy, she sometimes struggles to get her message across, but that she keeps on trying. "Sign language differs slightly from country to country, so she has to get used to it sometimes."

As for Thomas, the SCC headmistress keeps a close watch on her students. She says that Mariam and other students with hearing impairment are now used to day to day activities and can live independently. "Mariam is very confident and she can go about her life independently," says Thomas.

"She can communicate all of her needs very well, and I believe that the handicap is not in her way. She's taken her students to the Global Village on a trip with us and she can communicate with the kids' parents through text messaging. We are all very proud of her."