Shared Challenges - Empowering the Deaf in Cameroon

Sixth in the #KnowHerStory Series by Zoneziwoh

“I believe our biggest achievement is having our supporters believe in us and in what we are trying to do for deaf children and young deaf people in Cameroon.”
Mrs. Margaret Bibum, Head of Instruction, Buea School for the Deaf (BSD)

Interview

In this exlusive e-interview for the #KnowherStory series, I have the honour to share Mrs. Margaret Bibum's exceptional tale. In her own words she takes us all through her life journey – how she became what she is now: an educational mentor, as well as an advocate for deaf empowerment and promoter for equality for all.

Early Days - School for the Deaf in England

“I was born in England in 1949, which means I am now 63 years old!” This is how Mrs. Bibum started sharing her exceptional tale with me during our e-interview.

“I have one older sister. Both my parents are dead now. I became deaf at the age of 2 years as a result of measles. At the age of 6 years, I was sent to boarding school. Because my parents were devout Catholics they sent me to this school which was the only Catholic deaf school in England.”

Within a short time I settled down to school life. I enjoyed it for the most part. I took my Ordinary levels (O' Levels) and my Advance levels (A' Levels). I originally wanted to train as a librarian, but I was turned down by two universities because I was deaf (remember this was 45 years ago!).

My headmistress, Sister Barbara Walsh, talked to me about teaching. I remembered being shocked at the idea because I never thought I could become a teacher! I was accepted at Trinity and All Saints Colleges of Education (part of the University of Leeds) and trained for thee years as a teacher. After I graduated I went back to my old school and took a three year in-service training programme to become a qualified teacher of the deaf.

I later married my husband who had also been educated at the same school for the deaf as me! He had travelled from Cameroon to England for his secondary education because at that time there was no school for the deaf anywhere in Cameroon!"

In the USA - Deafpride

"Four years after we married, we moved to the USA where my husband and I attended Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. I got my M.A. in Rehabilitation Counselling and then went to work for an organisation called Deafpride in Washington D.C.

Deafpride had many programmes including health access, community access and sign language interpreter training. The organisation also worked with local and federal government to improve services for deaf people. At Deafpride, I learnt many skills which are helping me today. I spent 11 years there.

I began as a Patient Advocate working with low−income deaf women in Washington D.C., helping them to access the health care system. I eventually became Deputy Director of Deafpride. I had for my supervisor and mentor a wonderful woman, Ann Champ−Wilson, who was Executive Director and Co−founder of Deafpride. She had a deaf son which led her to work with deaf people."

While there, Mrs. Bibum adds:
“My husband always planned to return to Cameroon. I followed him here to Cameroon!”
In Cameroon - The Buea School for the Deaf

“We were co-founders with two other people of an NGO called the Cameroon Deaf Empowerment Organisation (CDEO). However, after some time, we both felt the need to establish our own school for the deaf where we could establish our educational philosophy.

My husband is the Director of the Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) while I am Head of Instruction. He is responsible for the fundraising, the building programme, public networking, publicity, etc. I am responsible for the teaching side of the school.

The goal of the school basically is to give deaf children the opportunity of a good education. We have nursery, primary, secondary, technical, and vocational programmes.
In the primary section, we follow the National Curriculum and Class 6 pupils take the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC). We recently scored 100% in the recent examination. Likewise, in the secondary section we follow the National Curriculum that ends in Form 5 where the students write the GCE O’ Levels. We sent our first batch this year and sadly none of our students made it through four papers.

For the Technical and Vocational students we offer life skills training – for example, carpentry, building, hairdressing, and tailoring. We are hoping that the practical classes will start this year after the building of workshops.

Not only do we give our children education in the classroom, but we give them skills that will enable them to stand as confident deaf young people able to articulate their thoughts and emotions. We try to expand their world view and give them opportunities to learn about the world around them.

I feel sad to see deaf adults who have never had the opportunity of going to school – their world is truly limited because of communication access. They cannot hear speech and do not have reading and writing skills that help to compensate for the lack of hearing. They have very limited understanding of the world around them and are vulnerable to people who wish to exploit them."

Teacher Training

Your employees (the teachers), do they undertake trainings in pedagogy plus special training in sign language? Or when they are employed, does BSD train them?

"Most of our teachers are trained either in the Government Teacher Training College (GTTC) or are university graduates. But for Nursery and Primary Class 1 and 2, we have deaf teachers. The reason for this is that they are excellent sign language models for new deaf children entering school for the first time. New, small deaf children arrive at school without any language so the primary task for them is to learn sign language.
When new hearing teachers arrive at BSD they have to undergo an intensive sign language training course often for two or three weeks before classes open to give them basic sign language skills. New teachers also have to learn deaf pedagogy and deaf culture."

The Students

Do most of your students come from impoverished families or are they a mixture of poor and rich?

"Our children come from a variety of backgrounds.  However, many parents of our deaf students struggle to keep up with the school fees which in turn create challenges for us to operate the school comfortably."

How do you get your students? Recognizing the fact that in our society, most parents with children with disabilities hide them? Or does BSD do tours to homes, communities, and churches, asking parents to enroll their deaf children? Or do you advertise?

"We have an outreach coordinator who goes out looking for deaf children. However, I find that now more and more parents of deaf children are hearing about the school and come to inquire.
Also our own deaf students are excellent recruiters – they often bring parents of deaf children to school. Public events such as Youth Day are an excellent way of publicizing the school."

Challenges & Achievements

What are some of the challenges you face running BSD?

"We have difficulty finding sufficient funds to operate the school. In the recently completed school year we had an enrollment of 110 students from all departments with a staff of 26.
We make sure the children have three meals a day and ensure that they receive medical attention when they are sick. Many parents do not complete the school fees which leaves us in a bad situation.
However, we never send a child out because of inability to pay fees. We try to get sponsorship for those children in need."

What are some of the challenges you see for girls and women with hearing impairments in Cameroon?

"I think that many girls and women in Cameroon are marginalised due to traditional beliefs and practices and lack of equal educational opportunities. With deaf girls and women, it is even more difficult to achieve access.
They are vulnerable to exploitation if they are not aware of their rights."

What are your achievements so far working at BSD?

"Well, I am amazed at what we have done. However, we did not do it alone but with the power of God and wonderful friends and supporters behind us.

We started out as a Primary school, and then created a college, then a technical department and a vocational training department. Furthermore, we moved out of a rented house and bought land at Wokoko, thanks to a grant from a US foundation.

We brought electricity, water (through a bore hole) and built a fence to keep our children safe. We have a computer lab with nine computers and a library well-stocked with books.
We have a school bus donated by a faithful supporter from outside Cameroon. We have attracted good professional teachers. We have a history of 100% success in the First School Leaving Certificate exam (at the end of Primary education) and our first batch of college Form 5 students have recently sat the O’Level examination. We are anxiously awaiting the results of this!

I believe our biggest achievement is having our supporters believe in us and in what we are trying to do for deaf children and young deaf people in Cameroon."

What advice would you give someone who wants to start up an institution for persons with special needs?

"To create a school for the deaf, it is not easy.
First of all, you must get preliminary authorisation from the Ministry of Social Affairs before you can open the school. Also, you must keep in mind a school for the deaf is not a profit−making business. There is no profit in deaf education!

The classes must be kept small to accommodate the special communication needs of the deaf students. They all have to see the teacher and each other communicate at all times.
If you are looking to make money out of a school for the deaf, simply forget it‼"

Personal Time

How do you balance your personal life as a parent and a director?

"It is not easy! Aloy and I do not have children of our own but we are raising the two children of Aloy’s youngest brother who died. We have had Marie and Ivo since they were 4 and 2 respectively. My two children now are teenagers and attend boarding school.
This means that during the term times, my husband and I do not have the children in the house. We are all comfortable with this and look forward to the holidays together. We have also raised other children and now they are married and doing fine!"

What other work do you do apart from working for BSD? I mean when you are not working for BSD, how do you spend your time?

"BSD is my only job! I really just like to stay home most of the time. I do like to travel if I have the opportunity. I am involved with my church – I am Catholic. I teach sign language there and am trying to start an interpreter training class in my church.  

In my free time, I read a lot. I also like doing puzzles and like to cook – although I am not very expert at African cooking – I never had the time to learn because I have always worked full−time! I like cooking British and international dishes, but many ingredients are not available to me here in Cameroon. I enjoy the internet when I have time."

Support

Any support from government, NGOs and / or friends? Like having subsidized [aid] for students’ tuition?

"We depend a lot on support, but most of our support comes from outside of Cameroon.
The Cameroon Government, through the Ministry of Social Affairs, gives us some small subvention from time to time. We look for sponsorship for our students to help pay their school fees. We are blessed with support from friends in Europe and USA, some of whom go back to our school days or when we were living in USA.

Some local church groups such as Catholic Women Association (CWA), Presbyterian Women (CWF) and Baptist Women help us with gifts of food.

Women’s social groups also help with food gifts. Some corporate support has been given recently, especially Supermont and Nestle Cameroon. AES−Sonel assisted us with a grant to help connect our school with electricity. We received a grant for the other half from a US organisation."

Any NGO campaigns or government’s role in ‘looking away’ for improved livelihood for deaf persons and children in Cameroon?

"Those of us who are in deaf education (there are not that many of us!) are talking about coming together to talk to the government about giving more assistance to the deaf community.  

We ask that the government give support to the concept of equal opportunity for deaf children and youth.

They can do this by supporting deaf education in general, making sure that deaf children are in school in the first place, helping with paying salaries of teachers in schools for the deaf which is done in other African countries.

They should provide support and counselling to families with deaf children. Training programs that are available to hearing people are not accessible to young deaf people."

Vision of a Utopia for Deaf People

What are your dreams for deaf people – young men and women with hearing impairments, especially?

"I guess a kind of utopia where deaf people have the opportunity to be involved in general community life. That they have access to all that society has to offer – captioned TV, sign language interpreters for a variety of events such as hospital visits, classes in hearing educational establishments, church services.

I would like also to see more people take sign language classes – I find that when hearing people take sign language classes that they learn so much about the deaf community and its culture. When people can communicate with each other, barriers are broken down.

I also want to tell you what many deaf people have told me: that they wish their families could accept them to marry a deaf person. I hope for families to be able to communicate with their deaf children and share the history of the family and the culture with their deaf children."

Just Simply See Us!

What would you like leaders to focus on as far as persons with hearing impairments are concerned?
"To just simply see us! We are here, but we are forgotten! When planning an event think of how deaf people can participate. When giving out scholarships to hearing students, why not think about deaf children and scholarships? 

When you see us in church, greet us. 

When developing programmes ask us what we need, don’t decide for us!"

Resources

Buea School for the Deaf
Website: www.bueaschdeaf.org
Facebook Group

Sign Language: My voice, my words and my sword

Girls from Buea School of the Deaf (BSD) tell their stories on how they have found empowerment through sign language.

This year, I awarded prizes to some four girls from Buea School of the Deaf. The awards were based on contestants’ ability to narrate a personal experience where they felt disempowered and how they managed to overcome the challenge[s] and gained empowerment. 

Of all the essays submitted, they all shared that power of communication which they now have, that voice, passion and education empowerment as well as a motherly love which has forever been an inspiration, also stood out so strong in the essays.

Winners of the prizes were: Alison Naomi (winner 1^st Prize); Angela Anyinkeng Abina (winner 2^nd prize); Zipporah Ewenye (winner 3^rd prize) and Mukoko Sandra Namondo (winner 4^th prize).

For the purpose of this article, I have chosen to publish Alison Naomi’s story. In her own words, she tells her story for change; how she overcame the trauma of finding out that she lost the ability to hear and gained empowerment.  

“I became deaf in 2006, I was in primary three.” This is how Alison introduces her essay: “The whole thing started with a fever and my mum took me to the hospital. We stayed there for several days, and returned. 

One day that was in the early morning I just realized that I couldn’t hear. When I tuned on the TV, yet couldn’t hear a thing. At first, I didn’t take it so seriously.  I felt like it was a trick – though I saw people talking but I couldn’t hear them. That same day, I remember taking a walk on the street and yet, I couldn’t hear a noise. Once my mum realized that I couldn’t hear, she took me to the hospital. The doctor did some test on me and found out that I was deaf and couldn’t hear. When my mum shared the news with me, I was depressed, traumatized and stressed.

I wiped and wiped. My mum also joined me to wipe.  

Each day, I will asked myself; “Who am I?” “Why am I so helpless?” and each time, I think of my situation I shade tears.  I tried to accept my fate but couldn’t. I even struggled with myself to ignore my situation and to forget who I was; still, it wasn’t that easy.

In school, during break time, my friends will join me in crying – they too couldn’t believe I will never hear their voice. One day as I was crying, my teacher called me – she tried to advise me, not to worry so much. She made me understand that I am not the only deaf person on this planet. That I can still be whatever I want to be – regardless of my hearing impairment. She told me to be brave. I kept her advice though I still felt like isolating myself from all of the hearing people. I wanted to be somewhere lonely. I even asked my peers if there knew of any lonely world where I can go there – but none could give me a satisfactory answer. 

Time passed and things changed. I started appreciating myself. Liking who I am. And whenever, my mum would burst into tears, I would tell her not to worry. That I am fine and I feel able to do anything, a human being can do. For instance, I made her to understand that I could lip-read and communicate with hearing people, I can dance, I can even sing like any other person – (and by the way, I enjoy dancing. I can dance all day).

I made my mum understand that I am FINE! So crying wouldn’t help – I recollected my teacher’s advice to my mum: Be Brave and be proud! When I told my mum these-she was so impressed at me. She smiled so loud and hugged me. She even promised me that she won’t cry anymore. But for sure, I know no word can stop a mother’s tear, no word can express a mother’s pain nor heal a mother’s broken heart”

All that time, I was still in the normal hearing school – it wasn’t easy to get myself fully integrated but I tried to study and understand what our teachers were teaching.  One day, a teacher advised my mum to take me to one deaf school, and that was Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) and that there; they will teach me how to communicate in sign language. 

The moment, I entered the campus of BSD; I noticed that everybody was a deaf. I couldn’t believe that I was seeing many people other than myself, deaf. I was happy to see them all – boys and girls of my age – from that moment; I knew that was a home for me. I knew I had found my sisters and brothers who can understand my pain and share with me.  I could also tell that my future was secure and safe. Now, I can follow my dreams.

While at BSD, I was taught how to communicate with sign language. I was also taught the general education which every hearing child is been taught. And in addition, I was taught my own first language – sign language. 

Years after, I wrote my First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) and I passed. Now I am in form four, next year, I will be writing my O’L GCE. And I pray that very soon, there should be a college, university for the deaf in Cameroon or some sort of scholarship programs for us to advance our education.”

She inspires…

Left to Right: me, Odilia and elder sister

This is the story of a 16-year-old girl who has always been passionate about education.  At the age of three, she became deaf.  And two years later, she lost her father.  

“My name is Odilia Nwefu. I became deaf when I was very small.” Said the young graduate in her speech, speaking as the overall best candidate for the 5^th edition of Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) Graduation Ceremony, Friday, June 8, 2012. Under the theme: To be the best

Ms. Nwefu is the fourth child and the third girl in a family of five. She hails from Ikata, a village within the southwest region of Cameroon but she is of northwest origin.

Since 2005, Nwefu said: “I have been a student at BSD.  I hope to continue college and in future become a teacher.”

Odilia reads her speach

Though Nwefu’s speech was interpreted to us gathered at the ceremony, her gestures alone were very clear. That she is eager to change the stereotype society has towards the deaf. She wants equality and the opportunity to work and support her families and show people that Deaf people can do anything the same as hearing people. 

The Journey of Nwefu to BSD

She said: “I remember Mr. Teke would come many times to encourage my mother to send me to school.  I saw my other friends from Ikata who were already in school. I bothered my mother much to send me to school. I remember my mother and I went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Bibum in Muyuka to arrange for me to start at BSD. I was only a small girl. I remember being very happy to put on my yellow and blue uniform for the first time.”

Right to Left: Loveline, Odilia's sister, Odilia

Speaking to Nwefu’s mother; Loveline Nfafa, a farmer at Ikata, she says “Odilia had always been determined to study no matter what.”

For the first two years , Loveline says she could not afford Nwefu’s fee (around 150 US Dollars per year).  And thanks to the kindest hearts of the BSD authorities, especially the proprietor and wife; Mr. and Mrs. Bibum, who encouraged her through and at one moment she was allowed to substitute the fees with foodstuffs like plantains, vegetables, fruits and other farm produce.

Now, she says – “I still pay Odilia’s fees in several installments.”

 But “I am ready to walk bare feet. I will sacrifice all that I own just so Odilia gets the best education”. Loveline added, speaking with much emotion.

 Seven years after

Odilia and colleague make congraduation pledge

Nwefu says “at BSD, my teachers taught me well. I have tried hard to learn everything that they taught me. Sometimes it was difficult but we all continued to do our best.  Mr. Director, we thank you for all that you and your staff have done for us. We will try very hard to make you proud of us. We especially want to thank Mrs. Margaret Biboum, Mrs. Patience Ngie, Mrs Vastina Neyeh and Mr Paul N’doka for helping us prepare for the first school leaving certificate examination. We pray that we will all pass well. We want to thank our families for supporting us in school. I especially want to thank my mother for always helping me. She always made sure I have everything I need for school. Mama Thank you! We also thank our school friends who are here today to see us graduate. My classmates and I are very proud to be here today. We are happy to see many visitors who have come to wish us well. We hope to continue our education at BSD.”

Odilia receives Prize for best student overall

“Wherever we go, we will never forget our school – the Buea School for the Deaf”.

“Again, we say thank you to Mr Aloysius N’jok Bibum, the Director of BSD. He is like a father to us. He wants to help us make our dreams come true. He is very strict and always wants us to work hard but also likes to make us laugh.” said Nwefu in her conclusion, looking at the audience, she raised her right hand closer to her lips and kiss it and then place it to her left chest, a deaf salute which mean Thank you!

Nwefu, my little heroine. She inspires.