Deaf Seniors

In most developed countries an older person is some one who is 65 years or above. It is usually the age at which some one starts receiving a pension. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "...there is no general agreement on the age at which a person becomes old.". However, there is agreement by the United Nations to consider any one who is 60 years or above as an older person. In Ethiopia also, an older person is some one who is 60 or more years old, that being the official retirement age.

Deaf women seniors celebrating mother's day on 13 May 2018 at ENAD Deaf seniors Club
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

Some members of the Deaf Seniors Club with two of their deaf friends from the USA on 12 November 2017 at the ENAD hall
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

Members of the Deaf Seniors Club celebrating the UN International Day of Older Persons on 8 October 2017 at the ENAD Hall
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

When the Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf (ENAD) came into being in September 1970, almost all the founding members were youngsters. After more than four decades since the establishment of the ENAD, most of the founding members have become older persons by now. However, until until December 2015, the ENAD was not doing any thing about its senior members who had paid a lot for its continued existence.

In December 2015, some of the older members of the ENAD got together and established a Deaf Seniors Club. This was mostly thanks to the efforts of the then acting president of the ENAD, who thought deaf seniors were not getting the attention they deserve from the ENAD. Now, the Deaf Seniors Club has become a very active player. Not only has the Deaf Seniors Club created some opportunities for its members to get together and to discuss on matters that affect them, but, it is also contributing to the work of the ENAD in a meaningful way.

Some of the deaf from the Netherlands with some deaf seniors and other deaf on 13 February 2016
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

Deaf youth and seniors along with guests from the Netherlands celebrating International Week of the Deaf on 2 October 2016 at the ENAD
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

This guest from the Netherlands presented a Coffee Ceremony at the Deaf Seniors Club on 13 November 2016, a skill she practiced during her stay in Ethiopia
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(Photo credit: Tekle Derso)

Not only have our deaf seniors been meeting on a regular basis among themselves, but also they have had opportunities to play hosts to international deaf guests and also to be hosted by visiting guests. A group of visitors including deaf and hearing from the Landelijk centrum oudere doven de Gelderhorst (National Center for Older Deaf Persons ?) in the Netherlands were in Ethiopia in February 2016. The group's visit was very important to our deaf seniors club as the visitors came from an insitution that caters to deaf seniors there. The group was hosted by a members of our deaf seniors club to the famed coffee ceremony at their homes. For their part, the visitors hosted our deaf seniors to lunch at which an exchange of experiences was made. After that, a group of four deaf, that included a deaf senior, came and stayed in Ethiopia for three months and were paying vistis to our deaf seniors club and shared experiences. Other visitors are still continuing to come.