SERBIA: SignWriting Literacy Project

Wed Apr 30 18:17:11 UTC 2003

SignWriting List
April 30, 2003

Dear SignWriting List Members!
I would like to welcome a new member to our List, Dr. Vuksanovic, who
is starting a SignWriting Literacy Project in a school for the Deaf, in
Serbia and Montenegro...Is the school in the city of Jagodina, Vinko?
Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about your school? But no
rush...it sounds like you are on holiday now?

I understand that Stefan Woehrmann, who is pioneering SignWriting in
Deaf Education in Germany, has already written to you offering help
too...Stefan, you have more energy than 1000 people...

I believe that if we all work together, we can make the world a better
place. Writing the many signed languages of the world is a way to
preserve Deaf history, give Deaf people a good feeling about their
language and culture, and open the world of literature to them, and
that is such a gift!

Plus it opens the hearing world to the world of the Deaf..There is a
lot we can learn from each other...

Val ;-)

--------------------------

> From: Vinko Vuksanovic <dr_vinko at yahoo.com>
> Date: Wed Apr 30, 2003  10:55:13  AM US/Pacific
> To: Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org>
> Subject: Re: Books
>
> Ms.Sutton,
> I cannot express the excitement and happiness on the
> support you are so unselfishly offering. This will
> mean a lot to so many children in Serbia. Up on your
> request I will, as soon as the Labor day holiday
> weekend is over, get in touch with one or more of the
> teachers at the school. I will also, once again, speak
> to the Director of the school and once again but this
> time with the ace in hand seek her full support. Don't
> get me wrong, Director was willing to support me but
> but I did something that is not common: I offered to
> help as well as the desire to volunteer. This
> something that is not an every day occurence. People
> here shun and run away from anyone that is "different
> from usual". It's a very sad reality. After the
> Holidays you will have the full information about the
> school, number of students in each grade, etc.
> Once again THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
> Vinko
>
> ----------------------------
>
>
> --- Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org> wrote:
>> Dr. Vuksanovic -
>> Do you have one or more classrooms that would like
>> to join our
>> SignWriting Literacy Project? If you can find at
>> least one teacher of
>> Deaf children to correspond with me, then I will be
>> happy to donate the
>> materials to their students...They will be videos,
>> cds and software for
>> deaf children...but in return I will need some
>> feedback from the
>> teachers..so write again if you are intersted in
>> this...I will mail a
>> separate description of our project to you in email
>> next message -  Val
>> ;-)
>>
>>
>> On Monday, April 28, 2003, at 12:30  PM, Vinko
>> Vuksanovic wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Ms.Sutton,
>>> My name is Vinko Vuksanovic. I am a doctor of
>>> Radiology and I ma writing to you from what is now
>>> known as Serbia and Monte Negro (Yugoslavia). I
>> would
>>> like to take this opportunity and tell you little
>> more
>>> about myself. I have finished my medical school in
>> New
>>> York. After my graduation I have moved to, what
>> was
>>> then known as Yugoslavia. During the NATO
>> innervation
>>> in Kosovo and there after I have dedicated my time
>> and
>>> knowledge in helping people regardless of their
>> ethnic
>>> background. I am also a manager of a
>> non-governmental
>>> organization "ETHNO-MED". We were successful in
>>> implementing some Conflict Management, First Aid,
>> AIDS
>>> Awareness, Lamaz Classes for expecting mothers and
>> few
>>> other seminars. After having an opportunity to
>> visit
>>> one of the schools for children with impaired
>> hearing
>>> and speech I have decided to learn the sigh
>> language.
>>> I have tried in the last few months to get some
>>> learning materials on sigh language but,
>> regretfully,
>>> I was unable to do so. I still cannot belive and
>>> understand that with over 30 thousand needed
>> people in
>>> my country there is only one, very old, video
>>> cassette. My wish is to make available to all,
>>> especial children, some  additional learning
>> materials
>>> (of course translated and modified to our needs).
>> What
>>> I am asking from you is help, help in books,
>> learning
>>> materials, picture cards for younger children.
>> This
>>> might be an unorthodox way of asking for help but
>> it
>>> is the only way I know how. I will not take up any
>>> more of you time. Upon your reply I will forward
>> all
>>> the neccesary information you may require (eg.
>> UNMIK
>>> NGO registration number, NGO address, account
>> number,
>>> etc). If you require a project proposal to be
>>> forwarded to you we will be more then happy to do
>> so.
>>> Thank you for finding time to read this mail.
>>> I would be very greatfull if you are in the
>> position
>>> to help us, and believe me, thousands of kids will
>> be
>>> also.
>>> Best regards,
>>> Vinko
>>>
>>>
>>> __________________________________
>>> Do you Yahoo!?
>>> The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
>>> http://search.yahoo.com
>>>
>>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
> http://search.yahoo.com
>