What happened in 1999 - 2001

Deafax was awarded its first overseas grant by the National Lottery Charities Board (now the Big Lottery). This project was built into the Deafchild International programme.

The project started with two representatives from India visiting Deafax at the end of 1999. The project was largely implemented in Chennai (Madras) under the guidance of Ian Stillman, Founder and Director of the Nambikkai Foundation which leads this project on behalf of Deafchild International.

The project has progressed to timetable, fulfilled its plans and not only achieved but exceeded its original targets:

• Over 2000 - rather than the original target of 700 - deaf children were trained. As well as setting up and equipping six Deafchild India centers at schools, the team also ran frequent Summer School Camps.
  
• A large number of parents got involved in the work.
  
• An extensive survey into the status of education of the deaf in Tamil Nadu was carried out. This research project was inaugurated by the Government of Tamil Nadu and the findings are being used to influence changes to the curricula and teaching methods for deaf children.
  
• A conference was organised to launch the results of the survey. It was attended by delegates from 15 states - rather than just from within Tamil Nadu.

In February 2001, The UK team visited the team in India and, with the help of the colleagues from the Deafchild UK and Deafchild International teams, designed the subsequent phases of Deafchild India.