こんにちは！
As-salamu alaykum!
Hello!

I would like to provide an overview of my activities from 2020 to 2023. Firstly, I extend my gratitude to the Duskin Leadership Training Program for granting me the opportunity for training. I am deeply appreciative of the invaluable experience it provided.

Upon my return to the Maldives in 2020, I resumed working with the Maldives Deaf Association. I initiated collaboration with the Maldivian Sign Language Team, sharing insights into the nature of sign language, deaf culture, and the deaf community in Japan. Their receptiveness and understanding were remarkable.

Afterward, we began planning for a Sign Language Training Program. The first course, spanning one year, was conducted online in 2020, with 20 students.

In February 2021, a significant milestone was achieved with the establishment of our first office for the Maldives Deaf Association. Working from an office setting, similar to the setups in Tottori Deaf Association and Hyogo Deaf Association, provided a helpful environment for the board members and Maldivian Sign Language Team's meetings and classes. However, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, including curfew restrictions, impacted our ability to fully utilize the office.

Despite these challenges, we successfully concluded the first year of the sign language training program, celebrating the graduation of six students. Our goal is to continue expanding the reach of the program, fostering more students who complete sign language courses.

An innovative initiative involved introducing hearing students to Deaf members. Through interactive communication in sign language, students had the opportunity to learn from Deaf members.

In December 2021, following the lifting of COVID-19 emergency measures, we marked a significant milestone by organizing our first social activity in two years－a fishing trip involving both members and hearing students. This event aimed to promote positivity and inclusivity, fostering friendship among participants.

In February 2022, the MDA team held discussions with the leadership of the Maldives' Parliament (People's Majlis) regarding the provision of additional interpretation services for parliamentary sessions. This meeting came after former Speaker and President Mohamed Nasheed pledged, on December 7, 2021, to tackle the challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) and to enhance the inclusivity of the People’s Majlis. As a historic first, these sessions were broadcast with interpretation services.

For the first time in Maldivian history, parliamentary proceedings were interpreted in sign language on April 18, 2022. This groundbreaking initiative, which introduced sign language interpretation, was a significant step toward inclusivity, allowing the deaf community to access and understand the information being shared. It's a move that underscores the importance of making information accessible to every Maldivian, ensuring that the deaf community is no longer excluded from participating in the democratic process.

In April 2022, to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan, we began streaming live videos of Islam Awareness Sessions on our deaf association's Facebook page, specifically tailored for our deaf community. Additionally, we also started broadcasting live videos of the Friday prayer sermons, providing the deaf community with guidance in Islamic teachings. The Friday Prayer, an obligatory act of worship for every adult male Muslim, was made accessible to the deaf community through sign language interpretation of the Imam's speeches. This initiative allowed members of the deaf community nationwide to watch and benefit from the live videos.

On September 23, 2022, marking the International Day of Sign Languages, we conducted an informative session on deaf awareness and the history of the Maldivian Deaf Association for the staff of the Bank of Maldives. This session aimed to promote the rights of deaf individuals.

Additionally, the Bank of Maldives has been a supportive partner in our endeavor to develop an online sign language dictionary, a project that is still in progress. This collaboration underscores our commitment to enhancing accessibility and understanding for the deaf community.

We launched our first big project to celebrate Disability Day on December 3, 2022. The is called "IDPD 2022: Disability Day Celebration with MDA," We had lots of meeting with our team to plan. We wanted to create fun games at stalls for kids and teenagers to help them understand what it's like to live with a disability. We also set up stalls to teach some basic sign language. This special day happened in K. Guraidhoo and aimed to help everyone learn more about and support people with disabilities.

We began reaching out to companies and governments with sponsorship letters, and we're thrilled to announce our first sponsors after years of hard work. A heartfelt thank you to JPRCD for their invaluable training on sponsorship letters. I'm deeply grateful to our dedicated members for their assistance in crafting these letters. Below is a picture featuring our generous sponsors from various governments and companies. Their support means the world to us and enables us to continue our important work.

This is the 1st time for MDA team to travel and celebrate IDPD. We arrived to K. Guraidhoo after long plans. K. Guraidhoo also has a home for people with special needs with approximately 200 patients. It is the only place in Maldives fostering PWDs. This also the main reason we planned to go K. Guraidhoo to celebrate the event. We met 3 Deaf people from home for people with special needs. We started preparing the stalls with help from K. Guraidhoo people.

IDPD event was a huge success. A lot of children and teens visited the stalls. Opened their eyes to world of PWDs.

In 2023, I founded the Women's Section within MDA. The vision of this section is to empower and raise awareness for women, with a particular focus on deaf women. I'm eager to organize more awareness sessions through the women's section, as I believe they are crucial for promoting the rights and well-being of deaf women in our community.

I presented my studies in Japan to members of the deaf association, and I was thrilled to share my experiences within Japan's deaf community. The members were genuinely impressed by my presentation, which I hope will raise awareness within our own deaf community. I assured them that I am committed to continuing my efforts, and I encouraged them to also engage actively with the deaf community. Together, we can create a stronger and more connected deaf community.

I have currently relocated to my island (Hulhumeedhoo in Addu City) from Male', I am still actively involved in supporting the MDA board of directors. While I am eager to establish a new branch of the deaf association in Addu City, progress may be slow initially due to limited support. Nevertheless, I am committed to this endeavor and will continue working towards its realization.

I look forward to sharing updates on my activities in due course.

Best regards.

Mr. Mohamed Awwam