HEY’s Journey in Frontrunners 13

My name is Hau En, aka HEY the awesome Deaf girl from Singapore.

I have been selected to represent Singapore at the Frontrunners, a 9-month Deaf international leadership training in Hedensted, Denmark.

As part of the youth leadership development course, I am required to raise almost all of the funds needed to cover the expenses related to my involvement in the course. The price of the Frontrunners course for 3 modules is 73000 DKK.

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“The ambition of the Frontrunners, A Deaf International education programme, is to take effort of that each individual has potentiality of paving the way towards human rights for the Deaf people: in their home and worldwide. Frontrunners will also illustrate the importance of UN (United Nations), World Federation of the Deaf (WFD, the deaf equivalent to UN) and convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It is important for us that the participants on Frontrunners – in time – will be able to act as catalysts for a social change, because we believe in humanity and equality that belong everyone.”

Born Deaf in Malaysia, I have lived in Singapore for 19 years and grew up in oral schools pursuing my interest in the arts, music and design. To me, my deafness has been my key to unlock and open the vista into the Deaf world - the uniqueness, the culture, the language of those who exhibit beauty with expressions and senses that are intensified by the absence of hearing.

My fascination with the Deaf world continues and I would like to contribute and be part of the talent and burgeoning activity that is currently happening within the Deaf communities, both locally and internationally.

"Being Deaf is not a disability but a special gift that endows us, a minority linguistic community, a proud and distinct Deaf culture with its very own values, languages, behavioural rules and traditions."