Challenges and Considerations for Supporting Deaf Education in Rural Nicaragua

Presented by Mark Falk and Nancy Klos

Mayflower Medical Outreach, Inc.Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Mayflower Medical Outreach History

• 1998 Mayflower Church mission trip found unusually high incidence of hearing loss in rural northern Nicaragua

• 2000 Partnership with Casa Materna AMNLAE, Jinotega, Nicaragua• 2001 Partnership with Nicaraguan Ministry of Health (MINSA)

and Hospital Victoria Mota, Jinotega• 2007 Partnership with Escuela Max Senqui and Ministry of Education• 2014 Partnership with Hospital San Juan de Dios, Esteli, Nicaragua

Mayflower Medical Outreach History

• MMO project had original focus on hearing health care, ENT medical training and audiology clinic development

• Clinical work in ENT and Audiology lead to discovery of significant population of rural deaf children

• Casa Materna relationship opened opportunity to develop facility for Albergue Mayflower School for Deaf Children

• Local Jinotega special education school Max Senqui developed partnership with Albergue Mayflower to promote expanded services for deaf education

MMO Keys to SuccessPartnerships

• Casa Materna AMNLAE provides access to:• Rural areas and families• Local politicians, government agencies and decision makers• Management and legal status for Nicaraguan operations

• Escuela Max Senqui provides• Deaf education through national elementary system• Teachers• Insight into process and

Commitment• Trust with Casa Materna as operations management team• Develop long-term relationships with critical governmental access points• Fund-raising efforts in Oklahoma• Expanding resources and volunteers• Expanding services and impact

MMO Measures of Success

40 children have participated in Albergue Mayflower• Developed sign language fluency among peers• Developed rudimentary reading and math skills• Grown up in a nurturing and safe environment• Access to socialization• Vocational development program

Demonstrated capabilities for deaf in a hearing community Employ a staff of 20 or more locallyDeveloped awareness in U.S. of specific needs related to deaf education

MMO Nicaragua Project Challenges

Operational Issues• Funding an international program and developing sustainable income• Working within the public education and social service systems of Nicaragua• Lack of trained professionals and training of appropriate staff• Identification of students in rural communities• Acquiring adequate housing

MMO Nicaragua Project Challenges

Social Issues Regarding Nicaragua Specifically• Poverty and Illiteracy• Poor teacher training.• Lack of deaf education curriculum and deaf education teachers.• No understanding of differences in deaf and hearing

education.• Lack of higher education, vocational training and job

opportunities.

MMO Nicaragua Project Challenges

Cultural Issues Regarding deafness

• Age of students when entering school• Lack of any sign language within families in rural communities• Ongoing evolution of NSL as a native sign language• Misconceptions of deafness and capabilities of hearing aids• Lack of parent trust and involvement in formal education• Poor cohesiveness of deaf community and weak self-advocacy • Lack of networking among deaf educators and programs

MMO Nicaragua Project Challenges

Can we reconcile Bias and Interpretation?• How do we address our frustration with Nicaraguan project ownership?• How can we develop leadership• Do we recognize the role of systemic poverty on all parts of Nicaraguan life, especially

as it impacts this project?• Access to the future?• Access to success?• Access to opportunity?

• How do we cope with slow rates of change? Do we have the right to demand change?

• How do we measure success? Is our success the same as Nicaraguan success?