It was in a short ceremony at the Exiles Club that the CWS Foundation extended support to the first ever Miss Deaf Seychelles pageant with a sponsorship worth SR16500. The event will take place at the ICCS on April 26 for girls with hearing impairment, aged between 16 and 26. The local choice will then represent Seychelles at the Miss Deaf World contest which is due to take place in the Czech Republic in July. In a statement at the recent donation ceremony, CWS Chief Executive Charles Hammond said that CWS’ partnership with the hearing-impaired is very important. He expressed his excitement about the prospect of the pageant and looks forward to see it grow. The ceremony was attended by a few staff of CWS and representatives of the Association for People with Hearing Impairment (A.P.H.I). The chairperson of the association, Anita Gardener, expressed her gratitude and that of the association towards CWS and said that she is enthusiastic that the support will surely make this event a memorable one. Although this may be the first Miss Deaf Seychelles ever, this is the 9th year running that the event has been organized at a world level.