Riyadh: Jasour – News Desk
The Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Their Families in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia provided 23 volunteer opportunities during 2024, with the participation of more than 100 volunteers from the deaf and hard of hearing community and their families.
These opportunities aim to introduce the identity and culture of this group to society, contribute to their integration as active individuals, and promote the awareness and use of sign language.
Saed Al-Bahhas, the media spokesperson for the Association, stated that these volunteer opportunities were designed to give the deaf and hard of hearing more space to present their professional skills and participate in developmental and social work. He praised their participation in the “Namay” volunteer forum and the 14th Social Service Exhibition.
He explained that the Association, through its various units, plans and coordinates diverse events. The Volunteer Affairs Unit offers and registers volunteer opportunities, enhances training and qualification programs for volunteers, and participates in the Saudi World Volunteer Day, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and the Arab Deaf Week.
Al-Bahhas revealed that the Association will launch its program map for 2025, which includes expanding community programs, increasing volunteer opportunities focused on human capacity development, supporting services provided to the deaf and hard of hearing, and leveraging technology and AI applications to provide suitable content and services for this group.
He pointed out that the Association continues to succeed in offering various programs serving the deaf and hard of hearing and their families, including early intervention programs, kindergartens for the deaf, courses for Association members, establishing community partnerships, employing the deaf and hard of hearing in various sectors, and providing hearing devices and vibrating sensor devices for mothers.
He stressed that the Association seeks to integrate the deaf and hard of hearing into society as active individuals and achieve its vision of being a guiding beacon for serving special needs individuals and supporting their aspirations and ambitions.
Al-Bahhas emphasized that the Association focuses on encouraging and supporting research and studies related to the deaf and hard of hearing and their families, supporting related activities and initiatives, participating in scientific conferences, activating the annual Arab Deaf Week, enabling TV channels to provide text translation for programs, and translating Friday sermons in several mosques.
