VIENTIANE, Laos, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Many deaf children in Laos are unable to attend school due to discrimination, a shortage of qualified teachers trained in deaf education or sign language, and an inability to pay school fees. Hands of Hope School for the Deaf was founded in 2010 by Sophaphone Heuanglith, who wanted to provide education and opportunity for deaf youth in Laos. Hands of Hope aims to equip these students with academic and vocational skills so they can support themselves and contribute to society.
The school provides a supportive environment, offering free education, housing, meals, and medical care. In this nurturing environment, there are no barriers – only connection and acceptance. The children live, learn, eat, and grow together, building not just language skills but a sense of belonging, confidence, and social connections.
Vantage Foundation met with Sophaphone Heuanglith, Founder of Hands of Hope Laos, to discuss the organization’s commitment to support and nurture these children who have suffered from society’s discrimination. Recognizing the meaningful work that Hands of Hope Laos has established, Vantage Foundation hopes to help raise awareness about the needs and potential of deaf children, creating an inclusive opportunity to help support the deaf community.
“Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and valued,” said Sophaphone Heuanglith. “At our school, we don’t just teach language – we help our students discover their voice, their confidence, and their place in the world.”
“Hands of Hope represents the kind of impact we aim to support through the Vantage Foundation,” added Steven Xie, Executive Director of Vantage Foundation. “We are proud to stand beside Sophaphone and her team to help break down barriers and create lasting opportunity for these children.”
This collaboration reflects Vantage Foundation’s continued mission to champion inclusive initiatives that uplift underserved communities. By investing in education and empowerment, they hope to create a more equitable future – one where every child, regardless of ability, has the chance to succeed.
To learn more about Hands of Hope Laos, visit Hands of Hope Facebook Page.
Newcastle students have been sharing their 'beautiful language' with local businesses to celebrate Deaf Awareness Week (May 5-11). Deaf and hard of hearing students from Northern Counties School in Jesmond hosted an interactive British Sign Language (BSL) class, taking the lead in promoting greater understanding and inclusion within the local community.
During the specially designed session, students taught staff from local businesses including Tyne Tunnels, Anchor Group, Standby Healthcare, and Pin Point Recruitment how to sign useful words and phrases in BSL. Students equipped participants with tools to better communicate with deaf colleagues, customers, and community members, as visitors learned how to sign letters, colors, numbers, and family members during the hands-on experience. Sessions like these not only raise awareness of Deaf culture but also encourage businesses to become more accessible and inclusive in their day-to-day interactions.
Earlier this year, students from Percy Hedley's Hedleys College were recognized nationally for their 'dedication to educating and inspiring others' when they won Community Project of the Year for disability awareness training at the British Diversity Awards. The school's BSL choir even put on a special performance to share their creativity, confidence, and skills. The students welcomed guests by singing and signing along to their signature song, 'This Is Me' from the Greatest Showman.
Mandy Davison, a teacher at Northern Counties and the school's BSL Choir lead, explained the significance of learning sign language. She told ChronicleLive: "We try to make everything inclusive. Inclusion is what it's all about with our beautiful language. We’re beyond silence." Mandy is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and her parents also attended Northern Counties School. Every year she wears a custom t-shirt to celebrate Deaf Awareness Week, and this year, she printed her parents' photo on the back of her t-shirt as a way of honoring their memory following their sad passing.
She continued: "We’re here to bring deaf awareness to different companies that have come in. The children are teaching them basic signings and they are making sign language. It’s important to be out there as even basic sign language helps deaf people."
Student Kameron expressed his feelings about the session, saying: "I felt good to be able to teach it to people I didn't know. It is important as they might meet deaf people in shops. It was fun asking them questions and seeing the fear on their faces, but they were really good." Another student, Travis, added: "I thought it was good, it gave me confidence, it was fun to see them stand up and show what they learnt, I would love to do it again."
Percy Hedley Foundation CEO John Preston took part in the session as a first-time learner of BSL and will now be incorporating sign language more into his daily life. He shared his thoughts: "We’re here today to learn and it’s been an amazing experience. I had a slight anticipation before coming into the session but actually it’s incredible to see and it’s been made really fun to learn. In past events there’s been moments where I’ve not been able to fully engage and felt the language barrier, but now I’m ready to give it a go and will be practicing which is really exciting.”
This year’s theme for Deaf Awareness Week is Beyond Silence. This theme focuses on breaking down barriers to full accessibility for individuals with hearing loss, celebrating the diverse ways Deaf people communicate, and highlighting the richness of Deaf culture.
