Cambridgeshire Deaf Association recently welcomed Herbert Klein, a highly respected Deaf expert in disaster relief, to our Huntingdon studio for the second in-depth interview about his work supporting Deaf communities affected by disasters around the world.
During the interview, Herbert spoke about the challenges faced by countries such as Indonesia, where natural disasters including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and typhoons are an unfortunate reality. He also discussed the growing impact of climate change and the importance of ensuring Deaf people are not left behind when disasters strike.
One of the few interviews of its kind available in British Sign Language, the conversation gives Deaf people the opportunity to hear directly from another Deaf person working at an international level in disaster relief. Herbert also made a heartfelt appeal for more people to get involved as volunteers and help support communities affected by disasters.
Having recently returned from Indonesia, Herbert shared his experiences with host Matthew Wheeler, talking about the challenges of supporting Deaf people across such a large country, where communities are often spread across thousands of islands and many people continue to live in poverty.
Much of Herbert’s work is focused on supporting Deaf people living in disaster-affected areas, not only helping them prepare for and respond to emergencies but also supporting people with the mental health impacts that often follow major disasters.
You can watch the latest interview below, and if you missed it, you can also watch our first interview with Herbert, where he shares more about his work and how he first became involved in disaster relief.
Matthew Wheeler, who hosted the interview, said:
“It was great to welcome Herbert back, this time to our Huntingdon studio, which we’ve been developing for exactly this purpose – to have face-to-face, in-depth conversations with really interesting Deaf people and share their knowledge with our community. In this interview we explore climate change, disaster relief and the challenges Deaf communities face around the world. I’d encourage everyone to watch it, and if you’re interested in getting involved in disaster recovery yourself, do get in touch with Herbert.”
Cambridgeshire Deaf Association has become well known for producing high-quality British Sign Language content that informs, entertains and celebrates the Deaf community. Through our YouTube channel, we’re helping to make important information more accessible, while sharing the stories of Deaf people from across the UK and beyond.
Our channel now includes hundreds of videos in British Sign Language, including interviews, community news, educational content and our popular women’s livestream series, Thrive Live.
Watch the interview below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Cambridgeshire Deaf Association YouTube channel to keep up to date with our latest videos.