Deaf Pro Active

Matra, 2000-2003

Matra, 2000-2003

Deaf Pro Active was the name of a project that was set up by Dutch Deafship to help organizations for Deaf people in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The project was funded by the Matra Program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The starting date was 1 May 2000; the duration was 3 years. Pragma co-ordinated the project.

All over the world Deaf people are very limited in their access to information. Without full access to information, no-one can participate in, or contribute to the society. In the past decennia, ICT developments have made it possible for Deaf people to use their own sign languages, not only in 1-1 conversations, but on video, CD-ROM, television and the internet. Sign Language is the only language that is 100% accessible, for people who were born deaf, or who became deaf early in life.The objective of the Deaf Pro Active project was to provide the participating organizations in St. Petersburg and Moscow with the tools and the skills that they needed: to improve the accessibility of communication and information for Deaf people who use a Russian Sign Language as their first, or preferred language. to advocate their identity, their needs and their objectives as Deaf Sign Language users. to defend their rights to equal participation in society, and to participate on a (more) equal basis in the democratic process in their country.

 

Pavlovsk group

 

Johan Wesemann with a group of deaf young people in Moscow