9: thursday morning news & coffee

NOW THIS IS COLONIALISM DEPT: The first cochlear implant patient in Uganda is recovering right now.

A TEAM of American and Ugandan doctors have carried out the first surgery in Africa to implant a device and restore the hearing of a patient at Mulago Hospital.

David Nuwagaba, 23, from Kiruhura district, suffered a chronic infection that left him deaf almost two years ago. But thanks to Cochlear, a US-based company that manufactures implantable hearing devices, his dream of going to university might come true.

But will they also provide follow-up services? The article makes no mention about whether the implant team, which came from America and donated their services, will also stay three years to train Mr. Nawagaba and give him the full benefit of his "gift."

THE WORLD KEEPS GOING AROUND DEPT: Swarthmore College, brother to my own Haverford College, is hosting a conference on Deaf Studies:

Don’t feel intimidated by the lengthy name; the two-day conference is an exploration of deafness from a linguistic, cultural and artistic perspective and as such, it promises to be fascinating.

I really wish I could go! GO EAST COAST! The Bay Area isn't the only place where Deaf people rock! :)

YET ANOTHER PROTEST DEPT?: North Carolina students at NCSD are protesting because their director can't communicate with them directly:

Linda Lindsey is the director of the school. She and several administrators don't know how to use sign language fluently.

They are unable to communicate with students and many teachers without an interpreter.

Lindsey started leading the school nearly four years ago and has been taking sign classes. Still, she is not fluent.


Family members of students we spoke with think knowing sign language should have been a requirement for the leader of the school.

Some complain the students didn't go through proper channels. My response? Those "proper channels" probably didn't know much sign language either!