#SILENTWALK&RUN was a success yet again this year!
This initiative takes place in September annually to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV) in the deaf community, and it's organised by the Neema Foundation for the deaf, an NGO formed in 2017.
The event took place on Saturday, 17 September in Emmarentia, Joburg, and will also take place this coming weekend at KZN, Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape.
The family event included a 5km walk, aerobics, tennis, yoga, and many other activities which happened throughout the day.
The #SILENTWALK&RUN is done during the International Week of deaf people, which is from 19 until 25 of September every year to honour the deaf community and bring attention to the public, government, and business leaders about the issues affecting the deaf community.
ALSO READ | Gospel singer Sechaba wants to pay tribute to Lundi!Opens in new window
During the commemoration week, all organisations of Deaf people across the world fulfil the demands and needs of deaf people, as well as ensure that this community's rights are protected.
Marketing and communications manager for Safer South Africa Foundation, Godfrey Monene, told Daily Sun that they were part of this initiative to help the deaf community as they've seen the struggles and issues facing this community.
"As Safer South Africa Foundation, we become a partner in the Walk because we saw the struggle the deaf community has in accessing the criminal justice system. We want to make the criminal justice departments aware of the importance of the law enforcement officers learning sign language. So, with the race we aim to attract the hearing community to partake in the walk/run over the years so that they have an appreciation of the deaf and hard of hearing community's daily lives," he said.
You must be SIGNED IN to read comments
Chairperson of Neema Foundation for the Deaf, Cebisile Ndebele, said they requested that the government ensured that sign language services were accessible at all government and public service points.
"Our plea to the authorities is to act swiftly and ensure that there are SA Sign Language services available at key service points such as police stations, clinics, and hospitals. Many incidents go unreported, and we are worried this may lead to the normalisation of GBV in the deaf community," she said.
