International
We work with partner organisations in East Africa and South Asia to make sure deaf children get the best start in life.
812* deaf children received support from our project partners.
*Between September 2023 and March 2024.
Online training for professionals
In developing countries, children often aren’t identified as deaf until they are six or seven years old. Many start primary school with little or no language, either spoken or signed.
It’s crucial that more deaf children get the support they need as early as possible, so we delivered online training courses for the professionals who work with them.
In 2023/24, we ran one Introduction to Deafness course and three Teaching Deaf Children courses. Seventy-three professionals from 29 countries took part, with 100% of participants recommending the courses.
100% of professionals surveyed would recommend our online training.
Championing early language and communication
We ran a pilot project in Kenya to boost deaf children’s early language and communication skills. This is vital as our research has shown deaf children in Kenya have, on average, a 6-to-10-year delay in developing their first language.
Working in partnership with the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Kenya, we tested an early language profiling toolkit in five schools for deaf children. The programme included training to help teachers and learning support assistants to better support language development.
After 12 weeks of tailored teaching, nearly half of the children showed significant improvements in their language comprehension.
Continuing our partnership with KISE, and joining with Sense International Kenya, we launched phase two of the pilot in schools with deaf units in February 2024.
Informed by our stakeholders, we’ll be focusing our future international work on the importance of early identification and intervention in low- and middle-income countries. Our goal is to make sure that deaf children are identified as early as possible and receive high quality, family-centred support.
Nearly half of deaf pupils taking part in our early years project improved their language comprehension.
Case study – Partnership working
Through our 17-year partnership with Graham Bell Centre for the Deaf (GBCD) we supported hundreds of deaf children and their families living in West Bengal, India. Together, we’ve built a legacy for deaf children and young people, proving that change is possible.
Founded in 1991, GBCD has evolved into a prominent organisation in rural West Bengal. They’ve mobilised local resources and involved the community in providing support, counselling and guidance. Through our expertise, knowledge and funding, we’ve also played a key role in GBCD’s drive to transform lives.
After 15 years of focusing on primary education for deaf children, GBCD also began supporting deaf pupils in secondary education. Since 2017, 53 deaf children have passed board exams, and 155 are being supported toward this goal. With the involvement of community-based rehabilitation workers, deaf role models and schoolteachers, more children are now passing board exams and going into higher education.
One of the most encouraging results of the partnership has been seeing children we’ve supported go on to become successfully employed as young adults. GBCD has set up awareness programmes for employers and has also provided deaf young people with training in employment skills. As a result, more employers now recognise the potential of deaf employees and are better equipped to support them. Seventy-nine young people are now in meaningful employment.
Uttam, who was part of this programme, says, “I’ve received support from GBCD since 2014. The special classes, adapted booklets and interpreting support really helped me to do well in exams.
“Now I’m working at a truck repair shop and using my reading skills. I’m very happy with my work, and it makes me feel proud when I see my earnings are helping my family.”
Empowering deaf communities is a continuous effort that requires dedication, collaboration, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every individual. The 17-year partnership between Deaf Child Worldwide and GBCD is a testament to what can be achieved when organisations unite for a common cause.
