Solomon Islands Deaf Association (SIDA) was established to advocate for the rights and needs of the Solomon Islands deaf community and to deliver education, training, development projects and other services that improve their quality of life.
SIDA is a registerd not-for-profit organisation and is governed by a board elected from its members.
The Solomon Islands Sign Language Education Project (SISLEP) is a major project being run by SIDA.
Communication is the foundation for SIDA’s long term objectives. Currently there are restriction on how the deaf community can participate in many aspects of everyday life due the lack of Solomon Islands Sign Language learning resources. It is difficult to teach deaf children to sign, it is difficult to teach parents and carers to sign, and it is difficult for the deaf community to access information and services.
SISLEP aims to address this through the following:
1. Record the agreed signs that constitute Solomon Islands Sign Language (SISL)
2. Develop and make available SISL resources including a dictionary, apps and training videos
3. Use the resources to teach the deaf community, the broader community, translators, educational institutions and staff in key public service institutions.
Contact us to find out how to get involved!