We’re huge fans of the fantastic work being done at the Fingertalk Cafe in Tangerang, which was created not only to economically empower deaf individuals with work opportunities but also to give its customers a chance to learn about sign language and deaf culture.
But we’re definitely not the only fans of Fingertalk. On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama singled out the cafe’s founder, Dissa Ahdanisa, as an inspirational example while addressing a Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Town Hall meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos. The part in which he talks about Dissa starts just before the 11 minute mark:
The US president, who also praised a young woman from Thailand in his remarks, describes how Dissa was inspired to create Fingertalk during her travels abroad as part of the YSEALI program. In turn, he said that he is “inspired by what Dissa is doing because here, on my final trip to Asia as president, I want to make sure that the rest of you keep inspiring others the way these two young women are inspiring people in their countries and around the world”.
Dissa also got to shake hands with Obama and it seems she has been further inspired by their meeting as well.
Obama mentioned in his speech that Dissa “says she wants her country to be a place where people can achieve their dreams without restriction, where her daughter can be who she wants to be and inspire other people with what she’s doing.”
We sincerely hope Dissa’s dream will come true. If you haven’t visited Fingtalk Cafe yet, we highly encourage you to do so and check out the fantastic work Dissa and her crew are doing.
Fingertalk Cafe
No., Jl. Pinang No.37, Tangerang Selatan [Map]
Ph: 081 883 9472
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