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A 17 year old Dominican Convent High School learner,Joanette Ngwenya will represent Zimbabwe at a global science competition, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Dallas Texas,USA after developing a program that translates sign language into English using coding.
The Regeneron ISEF is the world’s biggest pre-university science competition which gathers the brightest young scientists and engineers from around the world to compete for over US$5 million in cash awards and scholarships.
The sign language interpreter has a built in translator that improves communication between hearing impaired and able-hearing communities.
According to Ngwenya, the lack of interest and reluctancy from people that hear in learning sign language and the fact that learning institutions do not teach sign language is what prompted her to develop this program.
Sign language is one of Zimbabwe’s official 16 languages.
“A major element possibly missing in the education system of the hearing impaired in Zimbabwe, is a more widespread acceptance and use of deaf culture in schools,”
“The marked difference between the total population of hearing individuals and the number of hearing impaired individuals is significantly large, giving the effect that many hearing persons may have a very little chance of having an encounter with a hearing impaired individual, making the hearing person find learning sign language not particularly in their interests or find it as something not so crucial to gain skill in,” she said
Ngwenya’s parents are therefore seeking sponsorship of US$5 000 for airfares, visa application, accomodation and general upkeep for when their daughter is in the US. The school has managed to raise US$1 510 towards her trip.
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