Nearly 15 acres of land at Nakhon Pathom School of the Deaf has been filled with rice fields and vegetables beds. Here, the farmers are 40 young deaf students who study and live at the school.

The young farmers have happily begun to harvest the rice they planted in demonstrative rice fields. The integrated farming is part of the vocational curriculum provided by the school, hoping the deaf students will be self-reliant when it’s time to start living in the outside world.

“People usually feel sympathetic for them because they are deaf and think they can’t do anything. But the deaf have potential like us. They can do farming very well,” said Somchai Wongsawat Education minister.

The students are also happy to learn how to plant, take care of and harvest their crops. The produce is usually divided into two parts: some for consumption at the school and the rest for sale, with income shared among the 40 students.

Siwapan Chansopa said he was so proud to be able to earn a living by himself.

“We earn sometimes 300-500 baht per person. Now I already have 8,000 baht in my bank account,” said Siwapan Chansopa Deaf student.

Siwapan hopes the integrated farming curriculum will be applied in every school, as people had been suffering from the rising food price crisis. Apart from extra income, it also provides clean and safe food for consumption.

Now, Siwapan and his friends have proved being deaf is not a barrier to living a normal life. All they need is the opportunity and acceptance from society.

MCOT English News by Thai News Agency
Last Update : 2008-06-19, 2008-06-19 (GMT+7:00)
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