HISTORY

The establishment of DeafNET Centre of Knowledge, on June 1 2006, originated from the tradition of outreach and sharing of the past 125 years at the National Institute for the Deaf, in Worcester.

Cooperation, since 2001, between De Stichting Vrienden van Effatha in the Netherlands and the NID led to the closing of a partnership for the establishment and maintenance of a Centre of Knowledge for Africa. Projects like the Zwelethemba Community Service project, the Train-the-Trainer project of the Social Competency Model, the presentation of the first Africa Workshop for Mental Health and Deafness (2004), and the sponsorship of the third Mental Health and Deafness World Congress in 2005, offered a sound foundation for the cooperation agreement.

DeafNET is a network for exchange and dissemination of knowledge and expertise in the following and related fields: education of Deaf children, health and well-being, spiritual care, multi-disability care and development and technological support for Deaf people and their families. The task of the Centre of Knowledge includes, among others, to offer support to the various divisions of the Institute, for example the school, the churches, Lewensruimte for the Deaf and the NID College.

Other tasks of the Centre of Knowledge comprise the Secretariat of the Africa Contact Group for Mental Health and Deafness (ACGMHD), and the setting up of structures in Africa to improve the quality of life for Deaf people.

During the conference of 2004, an African Declaration and a Plan of Action were drawn up by the delegates representing ten African countries. This was approved at the World Congress (2005) at a meeting of delegates representing 37 African countries. The Africa Contact Group elected a Committee of Ten to execute the Plan of Action, with DeafNET acting as the Head Office.

The Committee of Ten is composed of one Deaf representative and one hearing representative, both of whom are active in the field of Deaf services, from each of the five Africa regions, namely the North, South, East, West and Central regions. The elected committee was tasked to (i) develop a structure for the Africa Contact Group in Africa, (ii) organise and present meetings, training seminars and workshops, conferences, symposiums and congresses on the African continent, and (iii) co-operate with NEPAD and other Pan African cost-effective organizational framework / organisations.

One of the key responsibilities of the DeafNET Centre of Knowledge is to support, coordinate and facilitate the activities of the Africa Contact Group and Committee of Ten, presenting seminars, conferences, and symposiums in South Africa and Africa. It is hoped that, in the future, various autonomous Centres of Knowledge will be established in Africa.