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Locating deaf people, gesture and sign in African histories, 1450s-1950s
- Author:
- MILES M.
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 19(5), August 2004, pp.531-545.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Construction of valued identities and evidence-based cultural histories is not easy for deaf or disabled people across Africa. This paper locates some deaf people, gesture and formal Sign Language in African histories, to illustrate possible sources and encourage local, national and pan-African compilation of materials. Documentary evidence of deaf individuals or groups is indicated from 25 nations, sourced in travellers' accounts, legal and genealogical records, government reports, institutional and missionary archives, linguistic studies, folklore, novels, religious narrative, mime and dance. Interpretations and uses of the materials remain for deaf people in Africa to decide according to their own various interests and objectives.
From self-help to charity in disability service: the Jairos Jiri Association in Zimbabwe
- Author:
- DEVLIEGER Patrick
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 10(1), 1995, pp.39-48.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
In today's Zimbabwe, an extended network of institutions which serve persons with disabilities are legacy of Jairos Jiri, one of the greatest African philanthropists. Stated as a personal initiative to help Africans with disabilities, it became part of a large self-help movement in colonial Rhodesia. This movement was characterized by the idea to establish independent African-controlled schools and black-run business ventures in an effort to uplift Africans. Jiri's activities started as early as 1945 but gained momentum in the early 1950s with the establishment of a leather shop followed by institutional expansion all over the country. The period 1950-60 is characterized by Jairos Jiri's effort to build African consciousness and the solicitation of financial support for Africans with disabilities. In this process, the financial contributions from non-Africans and from overseas, institutional expansion, and the idea in the 1960 that politician control would uplift Africans overshadowed Jiri's self-help philosophy. In the 1980s and 1990s, disability advocates portrayed the Association in terms of charity rather than self-help thus underestimating the liberating Jairos Jiri played prior to independence. This article challenges the assumption that the Jairos Jiri Association is merely an institutional effort, devoid of the liberating philosophy of the disability movement.
Development assistance: disability and education in Southern Africa
- Authors:
- KABZEMS Venta, CHIMEDZA Robert
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 17(2), March 2002, pp.147-157.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper discusses development assistance on disability and education in southern Africa. Development assistance for people with disabilities has for a long time been based on the charity and medical models. It has not been perceived in the context of national development. Many development agencies and charitable organisations tend to emphasises their own agenda, which may not necessarily be that of the local people with disabilities. As a result, the anticipated impact of development assistance in the region for people with disabilities has not been realised. This paper challenges this position and advocates for a more participatory approach by the locals. Using Lesotho as an example, the paper shows how development assistance can be made to be more successful through community participation and change of attitudes across all sectors of the community.
Engaging with the disability rights movement: the experience of community-based rehabilitation in southern Africa
- Author:
- MILES Susie
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 11(4), December 1996, pp.501-517.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Argues that unless community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes enter into genuine consultation with the disability rights movement they are in danger of repeating the mistakes of institution-based rehabilitation. Partnership between CBR programmes, and disabled people's and parents' organisations in southern Africa has led to the development of a more consumer focused approach to CBR where disabled adults and parents have been fully involved in the design and implementation of programmes, CBR workers have a clearer understanding of disability as a development issue. Education, employment and poverty alleviation have been given a higher priority than medical rehabilitation in these programmes. The evolving concept of CBR and its relationship with the disability rights movement has been observed and documented by The Save the Children Fund, and forms the basis of this paper.