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Lucy Rahman's film deals with her experience as a young deaf Islamic woman. 'I asked my parents what Islam meant, but they found it hard to explain to a deaf child, so I never really understood,' she says. 'There are a lot of Islamic deaf women isolated at home who can't communicate with their parents.'
The issue of access to mosques is particularly important for young women like Lucy, from a 'closed' background. 'Being "closed" means you don't go out to deaf clubs, socialising, drinking or partying, it all stops,' Lucy says. 'Being closed means that you only go between the home and the mosque... It's difficult not having an interpreter at the mosque. There's no access for us at the mosque for prayer. We need an interpreter to learn the teachings.'
Lucy spoke to a representative from her mosque, in the UK Turkish cultural centre, who seemed open to the idea of booking an interpreter for deaf worshippers. But when VEE-TV talked to Lucy again, the situation hadn't changed.
We also talked to Rubbeena Aurangzeb about the Asian Deaf Women's Association (ADWA), for which Rubbeena works as a project co-ordinator. 'It's an organisation which exists to help Asian women become independent,' she says. 'There are a lot of isolated women hidden in the community who have difficulty coming forward because their families keep them at home.'
The ADWA is currently based in Stratford, east London, but the organisation aims to develop a national reach and set up a telephone helpline.
Asian Deaf Women's Association (ADWA)
Stratford Advice Arcade
107-109 The Grove
London E15 1HP
Text: 020 8555 9680
Voice: 020 8221 0581
Fax: 020 8221 0582
Provides support to Asian deaf and hearing women and mothers with deaf/hard-of-hearing
children. Aims to encourage Asian deaf women to be independent and to
help them out of their 'hidden isolation'.
Asian Women's Resource Centre (AWRC)
108 Craven Park
Harlesden
London NW10 8QE
Voice: 020 8961 6549
Advice Line: 020 8838 3462
Advice Line Fax: 020 8838 1823
E-mail: awrc@dial.pipex.com
Organisation that aims to provide a range of services including
information and advice to Asian women who speak Hindu, Gujerati, Urdu,
Punjabi and Tamil. Also offers advice and information on youth
employment, sexual health, housing and domestic violence.
London Ethnic Minority Deaf Association (LEMDA)
Stratford Advice Arcade
107-109 The Grove
Stratford
London E15 1HP
Text: 020 8522 1958
Fax: 020 8522 1842
Voice: 020 8522 1700
Aims to provide an independent and culturally specific service to the
black and ethnic deaf community across London.
Graphic version
Includes layout and images.