Impact of COVID-19 on the deaf

By Damaris Kiilu.

The deaf have expressed concern over what they feel is deliberate neglect by the government in the fight against COVID- 19. 

Georgine Auma, the Kenya Sign Language Studio Director  at eKitabu pointed out that Corona has amplified the loneliness felt by the community.

Speaking through an interpreter, Auma pointed out that due to their unique way of communication, there is a need for constant one on one meetings. The virus has however made this impossible. 

“I cannot meet with my fellow deaf people and it’s hard to communicate to some of the hearing people around me. Having long conversations is tricky as often I have to write what I want on a piece of paper. It feels different, very different,” she cited.

She added that there was a lot of missing information and disinformation regarding the disease to the community.

“Most of the time when we have breaking news about the coronavirus pandemic and there are no KSL interpreters. Most of the time we depend on our friends and colleagues at work which is still tricky as there are no active gatherings after the government banned them,” she adds

Another challenge was with the wearing of masks, which makes it impossible to read the lips of the people who they were talking to. This is an important communication tool. She appealed to the government to provide special masks that can help ease communication, referring to transparent masks that can enable them to read lips during interpretation. 

Tina Lubayo, the Founder and Team leader of Women and Girls Empowered Kenya notes that Covid-19 is a major setback for the already marked milestones towards disability inclusion in the country since most of the Government officials are now focused on the pandemic hence those with disability have been forgotten.

Lubayo adds that the pandemic has also presented unique challenges because of the scarcity of interpreters. She gave an example of Nairobi and Mombasa counties who have one sign language interpreter, terming it as a workload hence information does not reach the deaf in the community.

“Our organization also partners with different decision makers and we get to advise them on the inclusion of sign language students in different learning institutions,” she added.

She also recommends that the frontline defenders be trained in sign language, citing that there have been obvious communication barriers when the deaf go for testing of COVID_19

“The government should also adopt Sign Language as a unit for nurses at the Medical training Institutes. This will make it easier to interact with the deaf in future,” Lubayo adds

Through her sign language interpreter, Lucia Kaburi a resident in Kibera Nairobi County, admitted she is not getting vital information regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

Kaburi added that she is also stressed since she just stays at home and has no source of income and depends on her husband.  She is unaware of basic information regarding the disease, including the number of people number of people infected by the virus.

“I do not have any clear information as to how many people have also recovered from the coronavirus disease in the country,” she concluded

. In a phone interview with Judy Wanjiru who is a Sign Language Interpreter with St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of East Africa, pointed out the loss of income as a major setback for the deaf community.

“Most of these people have been affected since most of them have lost their source of income since the virus has had a negative effect in the business sector and are therefore stressed,” Wanjiru says

Mary Kamwende Project Coordinator of Gifted Community Centre in Kibera, said that they are now engaging interpreters who carry out door to door campaigns for the deaf, explaining to them about the coronavirus pandemic from scratch.

“It has proven to be more effective and we are also engaging them and getting better feedback from the deaf,” she added.

In Kenya, the deaf community of Kenya of which the population is estimated to be 600,000 uses the Kenyan Sign Language (KSL). With a population of around 340,000 speakers based on the 2007 consensus.