Restoring the Gift of Hearing: Deaf Defy Brings Sound and Inclusion to Children in Dadaab
Restoring the Gift of Hearing: Deaf Defy Brings Sound and Inclusion to Children in Dadaab
When five volunteers from Deaf Defy, a non-profit supporting deaf children in displacement, arrived in Dadaab refugee complex, they had one purpose: to break the silence surrounding children who have never heard a voice - not even their own.
Most of the Deaf Defy team have lived through the same challenges they now work to address - many are Deaf or former refugees, using their experience to reach others. Over five days, they screened and fitted hearing aids for 99 refugee children, repaired older devices, trained caregivers and launched sign language sessions for children and their families.
“We are not just giving hearing aids,” said Zaineb, Deaf Defy’s founder. “We’re teaching children to communicate through Kenyan Sign Language, connecting them with the local Deaf community, and giving them the ability to participate, to learn, to laugh. That’s how children grow.”
Volunteer from Deaf Defy conduct hearing tests and fit children with new hearing aids in Dadaab refugee complex.
“When my daughter said ‘Aabo’ for the first time”
Among the families gathered at the screening session was Mohamed Abdi, a 42-year-old Somali refugee who has lived in Dadaab for over a decade. His six-year-old daughter, Dekha, was born deaf.
“Finding out our beautiful baby girl was deaf completely shattered our world,” Mohamed recalls. “We didn’t understand deafness or how to support her. My biggest fear was that she would never hear our voices or live like other children.”
For years, Dekha sat quietly at home, unable to attend school or play freely with other children. But that silence began to fade.
“Now I see her smile when she puts on her hearing aid,” Mohamed says, voice trembling. “When she heard me say her name and looked up and said ‘Aabo?’ I will never forget that moment.”
Mohamed Abdi watches closely as his daughter Dekha takes a hearing test.
Inclusion through partnership
Deaf Defy first visited Dadaab earlier this year and returned after seeing the scale of need. Their work, in collaboration with UNHCR, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Deaf Empowerment Kenya, combines hearing support with education and community training.
During the latest visit, Deaf Defy volunteers also trained community workers to service devices, replace batteries and identify children in need of future support - ensuring the impact lasts long after the team departs.
One of the Deaf Defy volunteers tests one of the hearing aids in Dadaab
A step toward belonging
For families like Mohamed’s, this work represents far more than medical intervention. It’s a bridge to inclusion and dignity.
“Dadaab is full of bright children who just need the tools to shine,” says Zaineb. “We’ll keep coming back for them.”
Since Deaf Defy’s first visit, 99 refugee children in Dadaab have been screened and fitted with hearing aids. Many had never received medical attention for hearing issues; others had been wrongly assumed to be mute or unable to learn.
Outside the classroom, Mohamed hugs his daughter tightly as volunteers pack up their equipment. Dekha, shy but smiling, adjusts her hearing aid. The world around and within her is no longer silent.
