Hearing Loss in Uganda

Hearing loss or hearing impairment is total or partial loss of hearing. A deaf person can hear nothing or only a small amount. Hearing loss can affect one or both ears. There are four types of hearing loss (see Wikiprdia):

Conductive hearing loss: When sounds do not reach the inner ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss: Where the cochlea (inner organ of hearing) or the nerves attached do not function correctly.
Central deafness: When the brain and/or auditory nerve do not function correctly
Mixed: Is a combination of all 3 types above.

There are many ways that it is possible to become deaf (see Wikiprdia), this list highlights some of the most important:

Aging: There is a steady decline in hearing from the age of 25 in men and 30 in women.
Genetic: Hearing loss can be inherited.
Exposure to loud noise: 5% of the population globally has some hearing loss from loud noise.
Perinatal: Premature birth or fetal alcohol syndrome may cause deafness.
Disorder: Strokes - Depending on what blood vessels affected by the stroke, viral infections like measles, mumps, rubella (also called German measles) syndrome, HIV/AIDS, meningitis, syphilis, Down's syndrome, Autoimmune disease and recurring ear infections can all cause deafness.
Medications: Some medications like quinine and gentamicin can lead to deafness.
Exposure to chemicals: Exposure to heavy metals and solvents can also lead to deafness.
Trauma: Caused by physical damage to the ear, nerves or brain can create deafness.

As has already been discussed in my blog, Number of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda, based on 2014 population figures there are 843,750 persons with hearing loss in Uganda.

Stigma and prejudice have become a major theme of this blog. Yet I was still shocked by the first words I encountered as I was researching the deaf in Uganda. The Good Smaritan blog says:

Kasiru: The word  reserved by the Lugandan community for the deaf. It crudely translates to stupid or unteachable in English. Many people have become so used to using this word for the deaf that they forget the people’s actual names.
What is it like to be a deaf child in Uganda? In most cases, you will be seen as mentally retarded, kasiru, and an unnecessary burden on the family, especially if you’re born into poverty. If your parents don’t simply kill or abandon you at birth, you will likely live at home in neglect and abuse. In a country with an average family size of ten, you are the last priority. You’ll receive the least resources and work the most menial jobs. Educating you will seem like a waste of money, so you won’t go to school. You don’t learn to write or read, so you will have no means to express yourself. Your attempts to communicate through shouts and gestures will be misunderstood. People will ignore, fear, ridicule, or harm you. If you’re beaten or raped, if your things are stolen, there’s no way for you to testify.

The Good Smaritan website offers scholarships for war orphaned deaf children.

The Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD) website tells some of the history of the deaf in Uganda. There have been schools for deaf children in Uganda since 1959. This is part of the story:  

The idea of Education for the Deaf in Uganda was conceived in 1959 by Uganda Society for the Deaf with efforts of Mrs. Julian Lule with the blessing of administrator from Namirembe Diocese. Mrs. Julian was a teacher at Mengo primary school but her two children were Deaf hence they could not attend the normal schools.
Uganda society for the Deaf decided to establish Uganda School for the Deaf in 1959 as the first school for the Deaf in Uganda. It went on to establish other schools as the number of deaf children increased. The establishment of more schools and units was as a result of UNAD's advocacy and awareness work which emphasized the realization of potentials of Deaf people through education.

The UNAD site continues with a description of the importance of deaf sign language and its undoubted importance as part of deaf culture:

Sign Language is a visual and gestural Language based on the use of hands, eyes, face, mouth and body. A manual alphabet ( or finger spelling ) may be used along with Sign Language.
Sign Language is a separate Language which continuously develops and changes. Sign Language is a visual language expressed with eye movement as well as facial expressions.
Deaf people in Uganda, learn Sign Language as their mother tongue and English as their foreign language. It is impossible to use Sign Language with spoken language simultaneously.
Sign Language is grammatically different from spoken or written language. Sign Language represents Deaf people’s creative response to the experience of profound deafness. Deaf people in every place of the world have their own native Sign Language...
Today, it is common practice for some professionals working with Deaf people, to use Sign Language. The more the teacher’s ability to use Sign Language, the greater the academic achievements and results of Deaf children. With the help of qualified Sign Language Interpreters, Deaf students are able to undertake further training and qualification at Universities and institutions of higher learning. It is important for those unfamiliar with Deaf communities and Sign Language history to understand why Sign language is a major concern to the Deaf.

If you are in any doubt about the importance of sign language for the deaf watch this video from this blog, See how sign language can transform lives. Education and learning of sign language are the best strategies for the successful integration of the deaf and people with hearing loss.

Ugandan Sign Language

UNAD has identified many other issues that affect the deaf. It is worth having a look at these to see how much work is required for the deaf in Uganda:

Social Issues

• Social rights of the Deaf and the Deaf community e.g. right to Marriage, communication, participation etc.

• Right to access hearing Aids and special attention.

• Right to use Sign Language Interpreting services in courts,hospitals, etc

• Support for families with Deaf children e.g. counseling and career guidance.

• Support for Deaf parents with Hearing children.

• Economic support to Deaf people.

• Support for Deaf people with multiple handicaps and special needs like Deaf blind, Deaf women, Orphaned Deaf children.

• Right to access information on Reproductive health, AIDS etc

• Right to access driving permits

Working Life

• Equality in the labour and employment sector.

• General support and legal services for working Deaf people.

• Projects for unemployed Deaf people.

• Needs for Sign Language interpretation services at the work place, Educational institutions and training centres.

Sign Language

• Support to research and development of Sign Language

• Publications of books and video in Sign Language.

• Create awareness on Sign Language to the Hearing public.

• Accessing Sign Language education for the Deaf children and adults.

• Ensure the awareness, usage and preservation of Sign Language as an independent language.

Accessing Education

• Having qualified teachers and skilled in Sign Language

• Establishment of appropriate special schools for Deaf children

• Good training opportunities for young Deaf people

• The right to access Sign Language interpretation services in all forms of educational settings

• Support the establishment of special secondaryand Primary schools for Deaf and for total communication studies.

• Securing opportunities for Deaf Teachers in schools for the Deaf

Culture and Recreation

• Establish festivals and exhibition centres for Deaf persons.

• Formation and sustenance of deaf choirs /dramas of Deaf people.

• Support of games and sporting activities of the Deaf people.

• Right to integrate in socio and cultural festivals.

Information Dissemination

• Advocate and lobby for more Sign Language programmes on Television, radio and newspapers.

• Support for the Deaf film Production.

• Right to use modern technology like the web cam.

Public Relation

• To ensure a high degree of awareness of Deaf people’s needs and rights amongst decision makers, opinion leaders, families, the media and general public.

• To ensure that Deaf people have excellent access to information about the society in and out of their community

Other resources: a directory of services for the deaf can be found at Gallaudet University: The world’s only university designed to be barrier-free for deaf and hard of hearing students. Also Deaf Link Uganda is a Deaf led organisation that operates projects in urban, semi-urban and rural areas.