The Central African Republic (CAR) is an extremely challenging place for people with special needs of any kind, particularly the Deaf. At one point, CAR was a pioneer among African countries in deaf education; Andrew Foster, a Deaf American missionary, opened the country’s first and only school for the deaf in CAR’s capital, Bangui, in 1977. Foster also trained the teachers and paid them a competitive salary, ensuring quality education for the deaf children who could attend the school.

However, when Foster died in 1987 and control of the school was handed over to the Central African government, conditions at the school deteriorated. Today, teachers have virtually no materials to work with and have not been paid in several years – and even when they were paid, it was at 1/3 the rate of other primary school teachers in CAR.

The students face many issues as well. At the most basic level, many deaf children simply cannot reach the school, leaving them without language or education; there is only one school for the deaf and over 3,000 deaf children in CAR. Furthermore, even with schooling, deaf children are taught very little in the way of practical skills, leaving them with few options to earn money after completing their studies.

It is a testament to their tenacity that some kids are able to support themselves and be productive members of Central African society. For example, Bebe Eben-Ezer Michel Delphin, only 16, lives on his own and runs his own business. This is a feat rarely achieved by Central Africans who can hear, much less by one who is deaf.

The school’s director, David Kambalo, has requested assistance with the following issues at the school:

1. Salaries – In order for him to retain staff, he needs to be able to pay them a regular salary, which he cannot do at this time.
2. Materials – the school has no books or other essential materials, such as workbooks, Sign Language dictionaries, or teaching materials, which are needed to create a functional learning environment.
3. Teacher Training – the nearest school for training teachers in sign language or Deaf Education is in Nigeria, which makes finding teachers extremely difficult.
4. Busing – since there is only a single school for the deaf in all of CAR, getting children to the school is an enormous task.
5. More schools for the Deaf - There is a need for schools to serve deaf children living outside of Bangui.
6. Vocational training - older deaf students need job skills to help them naturally transition to work after graduation.

For more information, contact: info@hdptcar.net