Stories in Sign Language

Man is seated in front of a wall, signing to the camera.

Habel Ouma: Deaf Rights Advocacy in Kenya

Habel Ouma, Deaf rights advocate in Kenya, promotes deaf education & employment, justice for gender-based violence, & sign interpreting.

Screen shot of video featuring Wadud, a Deaf Bangladesh leader. We see Wadud seated, facing the camera.

Wadud, Deaf Bangladesh leader and supervisor

Watch as Deaf Bangladesh leader, Wadud, explains his family business and his role in a local self-help organization, the Saidpur Deaf Club.

Malu from Chile

Malu, who has taught Chilean Sign Language to Deaf children, describes her experience in the first leadership school for Deaf women in Chile.

Deaf Law Students: Juventus Duroinaah & Vianney Sierralta Aracena

Advocates around the world are fighting for Deaf rights–and some are lawyers. Two Deaf law students tell their stories.

Screenshot from video in which Thành Nguyễn explains the start of his Vietnam Deaf Hairstyling Business

Vietnam Deaf Hairstyling Business: Generating deaf employment

A decade ago, he was a novice hairstylist. Now he owns his own Vietnam deaf hairstyling business with many deaf and hearing customers.

Deaf African Women Leaders

Three strong Deaf African women leaders have a message they want to share with other Deaf women around the world! From Ghana and Togo.

Susana Stiglich: Finding Sign Language, Becoming an Educator

Susana Stiglich, who is now a university professor and consultant in Peru, shares her life story as a Deaf woman.

Image of a flow chart entitled "How A Law is Passed". The left side of the flow chart shows how a bill passes through the Philippines House of Representatives, the right side shows how the same bill passes through the Philippines Senate. In both the House and the Senate, a Representative or Senator writes and files a bill, which is then assigned a number starting with HB (for the House version of the bill) or SB (for the Senate version of the bill). Next, different versions of the bill are written by different Representatives or Senators, and the first "Reading" of the bill is held in the House and in the Senate. Then the House version of the bill is assigned to a House of Representatives Committee while the Senate version of the bill is assigned to a Senate Committee. Next, each Committee calls a Public Hearing. The bill goes to a Technical Working Group (TWG) in the House and in the Senate. Then a second Reading is held and the House Committee and the Senate Committee each approve their version of the bill. Then there is a third Reading and Plenary Debate of each version of the bill. If the bill is approved in both the House and the Senate, then the two versions of the bill are brought together in the Conference Committee so that the Committee can merge the House and Senate versions of the bill. Finally, the President can sign the bill into law. To the left of the flow chart is a note that says "Approved and passed HB 7503". To the right side of the flow chart, there is a photograph of a group of people with excited facial expressions. Also to the right of the flow chart are two notes, one saying "SB1455 approved in the TWG level" and the other note saying "2nd Reading Passed" (in reference to the Senate version of the bill). Below the flow chart is another message that says, "The lobbying and advocacy is not yet but we are one step CLOSER! The Philippine Federation of the Deaf needs your support. #SaveOurFilipinoSignLanguage"

Passing the Filipino Sign Language Act

The president of the Philippines Federation of the Deaf explains the process for passing the Filipino Sign Language Act.

Sign Language and Deaf Education in South Africa

Ayanda Ntukwana at Sign Language Education and Development (SLED) shares her experience in Deaf education in South Africa.

Four people are standing in a row in front of a wall. Some face the camera, some look toward each other.

National and Regional Youth Leaders in Ghana

Meet national and regional youth leaders in Ghana. Two are experienced national leaders, two are newly elected leaders in the Central region.

Fostering local sign language and leadership

Expert international volunteer worker Kirk Van Gilder talks about the importance of fostering local sign language and leadership rather than imposing your own sign language.

A scene from the video shows feet walking down steps outside. Some snow is on the ground.

Deaf International Development Professionals: Joshua Josa

Watch Joshua Josa, a Deaf man, explain how he started his career in the international development field. In ASL with English captions.