Kereese Kuppan is the newly crowned Miss Deaf South Africa (MDSA) and she plans on making her one year reign on the throne, a memorable on through fundraising projects and increasing Deaf awareness.
The 25-year-old from Radiokop, Gauteng was the winner at the MDSA event that happened in Durban on September 3, 2022.
She believes in empowering the Deaf community by campaigning for inclusion and recognition in the education and social interaction prospects.
According to her, she will ensure that the Deaf community gets full access to visual modes of education. It will also include an understanding of the Deaf, sign language, and the culture and lifestyle of the Deaf.
Miss Kuppan while speaking to the local dailies “ThisAbility” accorded that sign language is a vital aspect that should be one of the official languages in South Africa.
She added that it should be introduced and taught in schools as this would mean so much to the Deaf community. Her goal is pretty much close to its realization because as of July 2022, the government published the constitutional amendment for sign language to be officiated.
The newly crowned queen representing the Deaf community, was a photographer and studied at the Jonathan Andrews Academy of photography and videography.
She described her journey as such an amazing experience where all contestants got to bond as participants.
MDSA CEO Janice Janker said that they want to empower the finalists with skills such as the importance of acceptance of their differences, being proud of who they are, how to counter the challenges of communication with the Deaf, and attending fundraising as well as individual marketing when at the public space.
Miss Kuppan is set to create Deaf awareness by teaching people about the social beliefs, values, art, and communication skills of the Deaf community. She also expects to be a bridge builder between the hearing and the Deaf.
She will represent South Africa at the 2023 Miss Deaf Universe Pageant
Janker added that, as the finalists and winners continue with their growth on Deaf community representation in the public, “we would like to believe we have achieved our goals we set regularly”.
She said Kuppan is expected to create Deaf awareness by teaching people about Deaf culture which involves social beliefs ,behavior ,values ,ar ,and literary traditions as well as “communication with Deaf people and to be a bridge builder between the hearing and the Deaf in her unique manner” of understanding Deaf condition.
BY CHRISTINE OMONDI