‘Laws and policies in Sudan are not set up for people with disabilities.’

Since 2022, hearing-impaired Weam El Fadol from Sudan has been president of a Sudanese organization dedicated to helping deaf people, the Sudan National Union of the Deaf. This is something she had not dared to dream. “Previously, I felt that I was not strong enough to stand up for my rights and certainly not strong enough to guide others in doing so.”

Weam, who became hearing impaired due to untreated middle ear infections as a child, benefited greatly from the “We are Able!” project. “We are Able!” has given me confidence in myself and changed my outlook. I have learned more about the rights of people with disabilities. My understanding and knowledge are greater.”

She can now put those qualities to good use, because at the Union of the Deaf she now helps deaf people herself with the problems they face. “My colleagues and I point out to deaf people their rights, teach them sign language and try to strengthen their position in society.”

Behind the scenes, Weam and her colleagues do even more. “We try to further develop Sudanese sign language. We also have an interpreter who can translate the sign language so that hearing people can understand us and we can understand them.”

“There is a stigma on wearing a hearing aid,” says Weam. “Furthermore, deaf people are often ridiculed with their accent because they cannot speak the language properly due to their deafness or hearing impairment.”

She continues: “In addition, they face a lot of discrimination. In education and employment, they do not get the same opportunities as hearing people. For example, deaf or hard of hearing people are only allowed to take art subjects. The position of deaf women is even more difficult. They often cannot find a marriage partner.”

She explains that the war in Sudan further highlights that deaf people fall under a disadvantaged group of people. “At the time the war broke out, deaf people were not given any information about it at all. In fact, there is no official translation in sign language of things happening. As a result, people did not know where they could flee to or where they could take shelter.

If they did manage to find a safe place, deaf people often encounter the next problem, Weam explains. “There is no help is once they arrive in a refugee camp. They are very hard to reach and, as a result, they hardly get any help from the state or aid organizations. These people have to survive in harsh conditions.”

The war has also added many people who are deaf, according to Weam. “The sound of bombs has caused hearing damage, but there are also people who no longer have ears or whose parts are missing because they have been wounded.”

For all these people, too little care is actually available. Weam’s organization wants to change this with the We are Able! project to change this. This by actively involving deaf and hard of hearing people in policy and legislation. “I want to give them back their self-confidence, like I got it back then,” says Weam. “I want to show them that they can still do enough and do count in society.”