Only two month’s after returning home from his exchange year, World Link alumni Nehemiah Danjuma (2016; Nigeria/CO) started creating a Sign Language Acquisition Program to help his home community learn sign language and give access to better communication for the deaf community. Once up and running, the program was held for 10 Saturdays, concluding at the end of May.

Read about Nehemiah’s inspiration and the success of the program in his own words below.

The Sign Language Acquisition Program

Written by Nehemiah Danjuma (2016; Nigeria/CO)

The idea behind the sign language program occurred to me back when I was still on exchange. My experience in America and especially with my host family is what inspired me. My host family uses sign language in the home because two of my host siblings are deaf. The ability to understand and be easily understood when it comes to communication is very important. It can be said that much of the success of my exchange year is a direct result of communication access, starting from the home, school, and my host community.

I tried not to compare life back home as a deaf person and life in America but I did. And by so doing, I realized what needed to be done. I realized the importance of communication access particularly in the home which is often lacked due to the parent’s inability to sign. Also, the society attitude toward the subject of inclusion of deaf people through sign language is not in a very good light. There’s this wide communication gap that needs to be bridged, there are parents who need to be informed, the public needs to be sensitized, awareness needs to be created, and so much more needs to be done. That is why I started the sign language program.

By relating the problems in my community and my experience in America, I saw a possible solution- sign language acquisition for parents and the public as a way of bridging the communication gap.

To make the project a reality, I applied for the US Embassy Mission Nigeria Grant Program in August last year, barely two months after returning home. To apply, I submitted a detailed project proposal and was lucky it was accepted. Then I mobilize the YES alumni in my state (Kaduna), volunteers drawn from the deaf community, interpreters, and two sign language teachers to support me. To kick off the program, I organized an opening ceremony and invited parents of deaf kids, YES Alumni, the deaf community, my family, and the public. I briefly taught sign language during the event.

Selected parents were interviewed; they shared their experience raising a deaf child and how they hope this program will benefit them. The Radio/TV program had 3 shows. The first show introduced the program, the goals and encourage more people to join, the second covered the training/classes and the third highlighted success stories, awareness talk, lectures and the idea of sign language club.

Meanwhile, sign language classes were conducted for 10 weeks. We taught the alphabet letters A-Z during the first week, numbers 1-100 during the second week and continued on to basic conversational signs, sign language in the home, school etc.

During the last weeks, we had what we call a one on one chat; where a participant got to sit down and chat with a deaf person in sign language. This helped us determine their level of proficiency and it also will enrich their experience as they learn how to respond when they meet a deaf person. After the 10 weeks training, many of the participants learned a lot.

“The program has been an interesting one! I have learned so much, and now I’m able to communicate with my patient who has difficulty hearing.” Said one of the participants; Ameera Abdullahi, a Medical Practitioner who specializes in E.N.T.

During the closing/graduation ceremony, participants who successfully participated in the 3-month sign language program were awarded the Certificate of Participation and Completion. One of the highlights of the closing ceremony was a lecture delivered by Associate Professor Aminu Bakari, the Medical Director of the National Ear Care Center Kaduna. Professor Bakari talked on the causes, factors, and prevention of hearing loss. Those in attendance particularly parents of deaf children learned a lot and asked questions; generally, about health issues related to the ear. It was very interested and informative.

The second lecture by a deaf educator; Mrs. Yanayock S. Noahson, about deaf education in Nigeria: a call for more inclusion and access. Both lectures ended with a note that sign language is the most effective remedy for deaf people when it comes to effective communication.

One of the program goals; to spread a message of inclusion, was achieved through the Radio/TV awareness and campaign as both lectures were aired on radio across the country, and many of the participants interviewed on TV. (Federal Radio Corporations of Nigeria {FRCN} and Capital TV Kaduna).

We also set out plans on how to sustain the project even after completion by opening sign language clubs in Deaf schools. This club will be managed by a teacher of the deaf in the school. The school will invite parents of deaf students in the school community to their meetings. This I hope will help put what they’ve learned into practice because sign language requires constant practice.

The leadership skills I gained during exchange coupled with the new passion for volunteerism and giving back is what has keep me going all those weeks. For instance, doing a small GYSD project can actually prepare you for bigger projects upon returned home.

It has been a great honor working on this project and I’m grateful my exchange year opened my eyes to see the problems in my community and also provide the practical leadership skills needed to address them.

Read more about Nehemiah’s experience and the sign language program here.

Nehemiah is full of ideas for upcoming projects. He would like to tackle unemployment through teaching vocational skills to youths and also provide them with leadership training.
He plans on continuing projects that will be centered on the deaf community which will include raising more awareness, promoting advocacy, teaching more sign language, and adding more school deaf clubs.

It was one family saying YES to opening their home to Nehemiah that has now helped an entire deaf community in Nigeria. Host a World Link exchange student and start your own ripple effect.