Deaf people get training in electronic book keeping |22 June 2012

The training was conducted by Kingsley Pouponeau, a hard of hearing person who uses a hearing aid and who joined the association earlier this year.

With a wealth of experience in various fields, Mr Pouponeau was a photographer sometime back and he used to run photography courses in schools and audio visual courses for teachers.
He also runs Bible classes known as the Alpha.

Commenting on the performance of the group after the training sessions which was held recently at the Aphi centre in Victoria Market, Mr Pouponeau said everyone was committed and eager to learn as much as they could.

“Very often people who can speak and hear speak too much and listen too little, thus they do not catch as much. This special group uses their eyes to listen and they watch the hands of the interpreter attentively as many of them could not hear me at all,” Mr Pouponeau said.
He noted that one thing he has learnt from his interactions with members of the group is that “these guys are really intelligent”.

“They may not know how to read or not be able to speak but they understand fast. Being partially deaf myself, I am looking forward to many more projects with them including learning the Seychellois sign language,” added Mr Pouponeau.

For her part Aphi chairperson Anita Gardner said the association is blessed to have in its midst people who can train others in different fields.

She said the Aphi is putting lots of emphasis on capacity building for its members.
“Mr Pouponeau delivered the training in a professional manner through an interpreter,” she pointed out.

She added that other members of the association are now eager for the chance to  be able to take part in more such training which the association will no doubt organise.

Mrs Gardner expressed her sincere gratitude to Mr Pouponeau who provided the training for free.