Meet Kiden, a model with hearing defects representing South Sudan in Tanzania
Josephine Kiden is a 24-year-old model born in Juba with hearing defects. As the world marks the International week of Deaf People, South Sudan celebrates Kiden for qualifying to represent her country in the upcoming Miss and Mr. Deaf Africa 2021 beauty contest in Tanzania.
It has always been Kiden’s dream to prove to the world that deaf people are as talented as people without disabilities. Now is the perfect opportunity, she says.
While growing up, children in school and in Kiden’s neighborhood would mock her, name-calling her “Atarasa,” an Arabic word for a deaf person. A word she detests bitterly.
Kiden dreamed of becoming a top model since she was about four years old, but society at large and even a few family members would not give her the chance to prove herself because of her disability. But still, Kiden did not give up even when one of her cousins tried to look down on her. She persisted and grew more courageous as a result.
Speaking through her sign language interpreter Grace Anviiko, Kiden reveals that she persisted with her challenges until one day, a modeling event at Nyakuron Cultural Center gave her the chance to enter the world of modeling. She became number five and surprised everyone, including the show’s judges who she says initially undermined her.
“Before, the judges thought that deaf people cannot do anything, that they cannot model, so they cannot contest. But she told them; ‘I have my skills, I can do everything,’ Kiden asserted.
At the time, communication with the event organizers and the judges was the stumbling block, thanks to an interpreter she could only identify as James. He helped interpret her message to the judges why she, badly, needed to participate in the beauty contest.
“James explained to those people (the judges) that deaf people have their own culture, they can also do what you the hearing persons do.” Kiden told The Insider. But that did not convince them enough and the judges still terminated her until she wrote to one of the judges who later convinced the rest of the panel to accept her after reading aloud what she wrote in her note.
“That moment was the beginning of success in my modeling career,” Kiden said with tears in her sparkling eyes. She wept. In joy. Now was not the time to weep in sorrow for she had come a long way to get this far, to go to Tanzania and proudly represent her motherland South Sudan.
Kiden will become the first model to represent South Sudan on the international scene when she walks the runway in Dodoma, Tanzania in the Mr. and Miss Deaf Africa 2021 beauty contest this coming weekend.
“I believe I’m going to come with the crown back home.” She vowed joyously knowing she will be there, not only representing hundreds of people with hearing defects, but also the 12 million South Sudanese citizens across the globe.
“I will bring it as a gift to South Sudan.” Kiden vows to make South Sudan proud by going to Tanzania to win the beauty contest and also prove to people that those with disabilities have talent.
“I’m so grateful because when I see people spreading my pictures on Facebook, speaking good things about me, they’re making me more confident. They’re giving me more confidence to win the crown.” She adds.
Kiden advises people with disabilities never to give up on their dreams and skills simply because they are taunted as children or discouraged by society. Instead, they should be empowered by such criticisms.
“Even though they abuse you, don’t follow their words, just think about your future (and) how you can develop yourself.” Kiden advises, urging the abled people to give a helping hand to the disabled instead of ignoring them and calling them names.
“Stop oppressing them. We as a community should encourage one another and stop abusing disabled people thinking they’re stupid and don’t understand. They also understand like able people.” Kiden said with a wobbled voice.
Without the encouragement of some family members and her interpreter she would have given up on modeling.
Kiden’s friend and interpreter Grace Amviiko says she always comforts Kiden because people with disabilities need encouragement and extra care to make them feel a part of society and not discriminated against.
“When she’s sad she comes to me, ‘please big sister this and that has made me disappointed. What can I do?’ So I end up guiding her and make her feel she’s not discriminated against, (and) she’s not useless.” Amviiko said.
“She reads lips, when she hears people calling her ‘Atarasa, she becomes sad and I would tell her not to worry about that. God created you in his own image.”
Amviko says Josephine Kiden’s success story should be used to demonstrate that society should give disabled people more opportunities including jobs.
The International Week of Deaf People is celebrated annually during the last week of September. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Thriving Deaf Communities.”
This story aired on VOA’s South Sudan In Focus, on Monday September 20th, 2021.
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