Who is St. Filippo Simaldone in Education of Deaf Children?

A hundred years ago, St. Filippo Simaldone, who founded the G.S Institute Filippo Smaldone of Nyamirambo passed away, after his death, he continues to be remembered for his efforts in strengthening the education and training of the deaf child.

There are those who think that a child who can neither hear, nor speak is a child like others, the answer is positive, as this child has the same potential as any other child who speaks and hears.

On June 04, 2023, in a ceremony announcing the celebration of the 100th anniversary of St. Filippo Simaldone’s death, Sister AKAYEZU Therese said that a deaf child has the same potential as other children.

Some of the students who have studied in this school, say that it is very important to have the special needs education at the early age as deaf children as it helps to boost their future education.

Olivier NKURUNZIZA says that studying in this school has been beneficial for him and has proved that he is also a person like others.

For him, before he came to study in this school, he felt that he was the only one who could not hear and it could take him a time to rethink whether he is a human like others. He always wondered why children without disabilities are taken to school while his parents fenced him at home, which made him feel sad in his heart.

For him, he sees the fact that St. Filippo Simaldone founded the school as a great success.

“The fact that St. Filippo Simaldone was able to establish this school is a success for us deaf people, usually, helping the deaf is difficult, but this achievement will always embark on his good activities and ourselves will strive to perform the acts of heroism,” he said.

In this ceremony to celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Filippo Simaldone’s death, some parents who have deaf at this school, appreciate his courage because in his time he thought about wellbeing and education for deaf children.

Alphonse Munyankindi, one of the parents who has a deaf child in this school, said: “We are happy that we have been given the opportunity and our children can have the opportunity to study, soon after my child became deaf, I was wondering if I could find a school for him.”

“I came to know that this school exist, I took him to Nyamata for kindergarten, after one year, I brought him here, he can now speak even though he uses sign language”.

Munyankindi continues to show that there are obstacles to the education of children who cannot speak and hear, including the fact that they are not yet able to study various classes of vocational courses and practical skills (TVETs).

“Deaf Children often don’t succeed in current academic courses. They prefer to learn vocational courses but here we only have sewing, if more TVET subjects are introduced would help them”. Munyankindi says.

Sr. AKAYESU calls on parents who have deaf children not to let them in the house, but to bring them to study and enjoy their full potentials like others.

“A child who does not hear or see is a child like others. We need parents to protect their children and take them to school, so they too will have a good future.”

St. Filippo Simaldone was born in Italy, on July 27, 1848, at Inapori, in a poor but Christian family, and he used to take care of the sick and the poor. He passed away on June 4, 1923.

While he was teaching catechism, one day he heard a child crying outside, he cried a lot when he arrived and found him with his mother, but the mother did not know how to console the child, because the child could neither hear nor speak.

It was then that Filippo gave himself the task of helping deaf children his dream was realized.  

Currently, G.S Institut Filippo Smaldone school in Nyamirambo has about 207 deaf children, and more than 200 who have no disabilities.

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