National Day Celebration (A Gift for Singapore – Song Signing Remotely Project)
The Singapore Association for the Deaf is spearheading this first ever project of having 55 signers using Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) to sign a song remotely online in line with social distancing measures during this Covid-19 period. Why 55 signers? To celebrate Singapore’s 55th Anniversary.
Happy 55th Birthday, Singapore!
This project showcases the beauty and versatility of SgSL through song-signing, and to create interest among the public to learn about Deaf Culture and sign language, and raising Deaf awareness.
The song is entitled “Reach Out for the Skies” by Taufik Batisah and Lu Rui En, our local singers, with music by Elaine Chan and lyrics by Selena Tan, both of whom are from Dream Academy Productions Pte Ltd. This song was written as a theme song for National Day 2005 and we thank Dream Academy Productions Pte Ltd for the kind permission granted in the use of this song.
During this COVID-19 situation, many passionate participants joined in this project remotely. They are Deaf and hearing participants and volunteers from the Singapore Association for the Deaf, polytechnics and university. They have learnt sign language and applied sign language to do this song signing.
Participants spent a month learning and practising through online platforms. They went through many rehearsals together, guided by the trainers from our volunteer group, Signifique.
The Singapore Association for the Deaf would like to thank all our participants from the bottom of our hearts. Specially, they are:
1
Abigail Cheung Wing Yiu
2 Alison Cheng Sue-Min
3 Chan Jun Heng
4 Chia Kim Tat
5 Chia Rui Ying
6 Chiu Yan Yu
7 Chong Sher Ney
8 Chua Ru Yuan
9 Clarissa Sim Shi En
10 Daryl Wang Jiale
11 Er Puay Puay
12 Gelene Toh Qiao Wen
13 Gina Tan Shin Yi
14 Glenn Lee Sheng En
15 Goh Yan Hui
16 Goo Li Keng
17 Gophi Nathan
18 James Ong
19 Jessica Lim Jiaying
20 Joanne Lim Tze Yen
21 Justin Yeo Wei Jie
22 Kat Ng See Lai
23 Kelly Ng Sze Yin
24 Kwan Seing Fong
25 Leon Woo
26 Lim Zhi Chiaw
27 Lok Xin Yu
28 Low Hui Yu
29 Low Wei Yan
30 Mae Teo Kah Bee
31 Maureen Aquino
32 Meerashree Goel
33 Natalie Koh Yin Wei
34 Neo Hock Sik
35 Neo Yin Jie
36 Nicole Lee
37 Noreen Taha
38 Nurhidayah Bte Yazid
39 Nurul Shaheedah Bte Rahmat
40 Pang Jia Yan Germaine
41 Pet Tan
42 Peter Im Wai Hoe
43 Poh Gek Hiang
44 Poh Huan Rong
45 Salmah Ibrahim
46 Sandy Phang
47 Shalini Gidwani
48 Shannon Lee Xin Ying
49 Shellia Oktavina
50 Shireen Yeo Shi Yun
51 Sun Wenhao
52 Suzanne Lim Tze Yin
53 Vanessa Tai Ying Hui
54 Vincentia
55 Yvonne Goh Min Rui
Special thanks, once again to Dream Academy Productions Pte Ltd for granting the use of the song for this project!
Through the effort of our 55 participants, we appeal to your generosity to donate towards the cause of people with hearing loss. Your donation towards this campaign will be granted a dollar-for-matching with Tote Board and the government. SADeaf is a registered charity and an Institutions of A Public Character (IPC); hence, all donations to SADeaf entitles you to a 2.5 times tax deduction. The more you donate, the greater your tax deduction. Thank you for your kind donations and great support during this Covid-19 period!
Learn Sign Language: https://sadeaf.org.sg/sgsl-course/
Deaf Awareness Programmes for Corporates & Groups: https://sadeaf.org.sg/deaf-awareness-programme/
Donate: sadeaf.org.sg/donate
National Day 2020 – Learn the anthem & Pledge in SgSL
Learn the National Anthem and Singapore Pledge in Singapore Sign Language!
The Singapore Pledge
The National Anthem
Join the Anthem Moment and Pledge Moment of NDP2020. Find out more about the Anthem Moment and Pledge Moment by clicking the links.
SgSL for Political Parties in Singapore
Having a common and widely accepted sign vocabulary is important in promoting discourse and equal participation. Headed by SADeaf’s Sign Language Instructors sub-committee and Deaf Access Service department, we are pleased to present suggestions on how the names of the political parties can be signed.
Big strides made to accommodate deaf, hard-of-hearing community
The Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf) replies to a Straits Times forum letter on accessibility to information for the community during the recent elections.
SADeaf had provided sign language interpretation and note-taking on our own media platforms to accompany the election-related broadcasts on TV, including the marathon 7-hour election results/analysis.
This was a first for us, and we will continue to advocate for improved accessibility for future national events.
Read more here: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/forum-big-strides-made-to-accommodate-deaf-hard-of-hearing-community
Student-athletes score winning marks in IB exams
Kimberly Quek, the winner of the Outstanding Deaf Student (Tertiary Education) Award 2019, scored 40 out of 45 for her International Baccalaureate (IB) results.
LESSONS FROM BOWLING
“Bowling is like life itself because there will always be things out of my control. What is important is to take things in my stride and keep trying until I succeed, as well as celebrate the little successes such as getting a strike.”
MS KIMBERLY QUEK, on how the sport has taught her resilience, in the face of uncertainties.
Read more: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/student-athletes-score-winning-marks-in-ib-exams
Also read a short feature on Kimberly on page 6 of our latest signal newsletter: https://sadeaf.org.sg/news-media/newsletter/
#HerWorldHerStory: This Artist Doesn’t Let Her Deafness Affect Her Passion For The Arts
Remember the article on “Accessibility needs for a Deaf-friendly show“? Meet the Artist behind the beautiful drawings!
Chen Ziyue was featured in June’s issue of #HerWorldHerStory for her passion for the Arts.
“Growing up was tough because I was often left out of conversations. I was diagnosed with profound hearing loss in both ears when I was two and a half years old. I first studied at Canossian School (then Canossian School for the Hearing Impaired). When I was nine, my late mother transferred me to St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary School. It was a big change going to a mainstream school. But my mum wanted me to learn survival skills that would help me function independently in society.
As a child, art became my “escape” from a confusing world, not being able to understand others, and vice versa. The late American author Helen Keller who was deaf and blind once said blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.
Drawing and playing with art helped me to forget the frustration of my struggles with verbal communication. It also helped me express my emotions.
“Drawing helped me forget the frustrations of my struggles”
I’ve been a freelance artist-illustrator for mostly children’s books since graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) in Florida in 2013.
The most recent book I worked on is How Women Won the Vote by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, published by HarperCollins. I now see myself as an equal to others. Living overseas alone made me more independent, and more aware of my identity as a deaf person. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had.
I hope the arts scene and disability inclusiveness will continue to grow…it’s promising to know that someone like me has a fair chance to work on my art. My wish is to work on a book to tell my story… I haven’t been able to finish illustrating my feelings on my mum’s passing but it’s something that I’m working on.”
– Published in Her World’s June issue
Also watch the Deaf “Deaf Entrepreneur – Chen Ziyue”
Don’t Mask your Smile – Masks for a cause
COVID-19 and the Deaf Community
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the wearing of masks an everyday ritual before you leave the house. Wearing of masks can prevent the spread of the virus. What’s more, the wearing and sight of the mask is a symbol of upholding hygienic behaviour such as not touching your face, avoiding crowds and practising social distance.
This norm has presented a new challenge to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community all over the world. Wearing of face masks hides one’s mouth. Although only 30 to 45 percent of the English language can be understood through lip reading, wearing of masks completely removes any visual cues that would be of assistance. For sign language users, morphemes which involve the mouth as their primary articulator are masked as well. As a minority group, the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community laments at the world designed with hearing people in mind.
With the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community in mind, Oliver and his family set up The Simple Deed, a ground-up initiative to produce clear masks to benefit the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community.
Conceptualisation & Making
During one of the volunteering sessions with the elderly, Oliver and his wife realised that they had difficulties communicating with the seniors. After doing some research online, he found the solution to making clear masks.
With an old sewing machine and guidance from Oliver’s mother, the family embarked on the project despite him and his wife having no experience in masking masks.
The project has since been a success – volunteers and organisations have donated materials and time to support the cause. More than 150 masks have been donated to SADeaf and now being distributed to family members of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing clients as well as staff working with the community.
Oliver has started also started the Don’t Mask Your Smile – Masks for A Cause to raise funds to support SADeaf and our mask distribution efforts.
If you wish to support the cause, drop them a message on their Facebook Page or simply make a donation!
Tips to Prevent the Clear Mask from Fogging up
HeritageCares@Home Digital contest
HeritageCares@Home have launched a digital contest for participants to stand a chance to win a ride on the River Cruise for 4 pax per household (individual + 3 accompanying family members)!
There are six activities you may choose from to participate in the digital contest:
SADeaf clients are who interested to participate may send your entries with your 1) Name, 2) HHC Number and 3) email to cs_enquiry@sadeaf.org.sg before 14th July 2020, Tuesday at 2pm.
Members of the public who wish to participate may submit your entries directly to the HeritageCares team.
Signature Ondeh-Ondeh Cookie Bites – A charity collaboration with The Singapore Association for the Deaf, Mountbatten Vocational School and New Ubin Seafood
GOOD FOOD FOR GOOD CAUSES
Made using traditional methods, with the finest ingredients: Flour (with calcium, iron, niacin, thiamin), sugar, butter(22%), milk; natural pandan flavouring, gula melaka, desiccated coconut.
Enjoy our collaboration with New Ubin Seafood; these delightful and sumptuously indulgent morsels are infused with a generous dosage of gula Melaka complemented with notes of aromatic pandan and desiccated coconut. Perfect as a souvenir or a gift, they are ideal for a well-deserved afternoon tea-break. All proceeds raised from the sale goes directly to SADeaf and MVS.
Cookies are sold at $10 per 145g bottle.
All cookies are not halal-certified, but ingredients are halal-compliant
Due to overwhelming orders, the cookie sale is now closed! Thanks for your support!
Payment instructions: Upon placing of order, a QR code will be sent to you for payment. Please screenshot the payment and attach the screenshot in your email.
Delivery: We are not offering delivery service. Upon payment, cookies can be collected at SADeaf, Monday to Friday (9am – 5pm).
The Singapore Association For the Deaf
The leading organisation in advocating equal opportunity, in all aspects, for the Deaf and supporting the Deaf to reach their full potential. Our mission is to assist the Deaf to achieve a better quality of life and to enable them to integrate and contribute to society.
Mountbatten Vocational School
Mountbatten Vocational School (MVS) is an ITE Approved Training Centre. Established in 1975, Mountbatten Vocational School opened its doors initially to train deaf youths to be skilled workers. Due to the needs of the community, it began taking in trainees with other special educational needs in the later years, offering ITE Skills Certificate (ISC) in Food Preparation, F&B Service and Housekeeping Operations. MVS believes in leaving no one behind and strives to maximise our students’ potential and social integration.
New Ubin Seafood
Hailing from Pulau Ubin—an offshore island northeast of mainland Singapore—with over three decades, two generations and a cult following of foodies, young and old, to its name, New Ubin has carved a reputation for retaining its rustic roots and kampong essence whilst delivering an inimitable tze char ingenuity that has been shaped alongside the Singaporean palate over the years. Most notably, the homegrown brand was a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient for three consecutive years (2016-2018) since the guide launched its inaugural edition in Singapore. With an upscale restaurant in the city centre CHIJMES cluster (2018), a hotel restaurant in Zhongshan Park (2018), and a canteen cluster village-style concept in Tampines (2019), present-day New Ubin promises a ‘Truly Singaporean’ tze char experience from the moment you arrive, wherever you dine.
Singapore Votes 2020 – The Political Debate
Singapore Votes 2020 – The Political Debate. Sign Language Interpretation and Notetaking provided by The Singapore Association for the Deaf. Four political parties – People’s Action Party (PAP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP), Workers’ Party (WP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) will participate in a live General Elections debate.
In the first segment, a moderator will ask the four candidates a series of questions on topics including unemployment, helping businesses and social mobility.
In the second segment, candidates will get to ask questions of other candidates in a structured sequence as well as answer questions posed to them by other candidates.
Notetaking-only feed (ie. text-only feed for deafblind, blind-deaf and others): https://tinyurl.com/1Jun8pm