Kenya Has Just 500 Sign Language Interpreters

A sign language interpreter plays a crucial role in the life of a deaf person. In Kenya, there are about 500 qualified sign language interpreters serving the needs of over 260,000 people with hearing impairments.

Interpreters are mainly located in urban areas and the high cost of the services makes them unattainable for low-income and rural populations.

Due to this disparity, most people with hearing impairments are often unable to access essential services without the help of relatives or friends to communicate on their behalf.

Assistive technology is bridging the gap by allowing persons with disabilities to communicate, learn and function better. This is essential to ensuring that we have a fully inclusive society regardless of ability.

In 2017 Signs Media launched a sign language television station – Signs TV – that provides programming sign language with voiced overrides. Since then, through the new venture assistALL application, Signs Media seeks to provide increased access to affordable, on-demand sign language interpretation services through a mobile phone.

The app can be accessed via Google Play Store and people with hearing impairments can request a sign language interpreter at any time of the day.

When fully developed, assistALL will be integrated with Mpesa and payments enabled through per minute rate which will be quite affordable considering the logistics of travel by the interpreter and other expenses are eliminated.

Sign language interpreters are also able to serve more people which bridges the gap between the demand and supply for interpretation services. Signs media was the only African-owned and operated start-up to be awarded a grant by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Technology.

The award was announced after a rigorous selection process that attracted 350 applications from 31 countries. The grant funds of GBP 143,000.00 will be used to further develop the assist ALL app to improve its robustness, as well as customer and sign language interpreters’ acquisition.

The GSMA Innovation Fund is currently funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and is supported by the GSMA and its members.