The Challenge of Explaining a Journey
Building Connections Across Communities
DDW’s initiative, part of the Deaf E3 Activity in Nigeria, began in May 2021 but our on-the-ground work officially started in 2022 due to pandemic-related delays. The journey has been one of building relationships, breaking barriers, and empowering Deaf Nigerians to be changemakers in their communities. Here are a few of the key milestones we’ve hit along the way:
Highlights from Our In-Person Work
March 2022
I met our program coordinator, Aliyu Mai, for the first time in Nigeria, marking the start of our on-the-ground work. Our Nigerian Deaf participants also experienced taking home COVID tests for the first time—a vital part of ensuring safety.
August 2022
We teamed up with other Deaf E3 groups to strengthen the skills of Nigerian interpreters, focusing on building the capacity of Deaf Nigerians to lead.
May 2023
Due to new USAID travel restrictions, we had to relocate our community workshops, putting safety first while also rethinking our strategies to meet program goals.
August 2023
We trained participants on using Google Forms for data collection and how to organize safe community events. Aliyu led valuable networking workshops, creating a space for future collaboration among participants.
November 2023
We invited Dr. Lorne Farovitch from the Global Deaf Research Institute (GDRI), a Deaf-led American NGO, to provide training on data collection and including diverse communities in the needs assessments. One highlight was seeing our participants showcase the differences between Hausa Sign Language and Nigerian Sign Language—an unforgettable moment, especially because Hausa Sign Language is so rarely mentioned in the U.S. or any academic publications.
March 2024
We’re preparing to present our findings at the upcoming Deaf Education Summit, organized by the National Nigeria Association of the Deaf.
Achievements in Numbers
- Trained 363 Deaf Nigerians in various capacity-building workshops.
- Conducted 12 community workshops across the country.
- Supported 3 Deaf-led organizations in Nigeria, helping them become more self-sufficient and effective in their missions.
The Reality Behind the Scenes
There are many things you won’t see in pictures or reports. Working as a Deaf professional in Nigeria meant navigating obstacles that went far beyond typical development work.
Re-educating perceptions: We constantly had to address the negative stereotypes people associate with Nigeria, seen in the media. It’s a vibrant, culturally rich country—you just need to be street smart. Beyond that, we often found ourselves explaining repeatedly why it’s crucial to include Deaf people in workshops and training sessions run by other organizations or government agencies.
Battling connectivity: As Deaf individuals, we rely heavily on technology for accessible communication. However, poor internet connections in some areas required us to spend countless hours troubleshooting, which complicated remote planning and coordination.
Sleepless nights: Between preparing workshops, debriefing sessions, and collaborating with Aliyu to ensure our initiatives were implemented without harm to the Deaf community, sleep often felt like a luxury.
Unplanned but Essential Support: In addition to leading my own workshops, I frequently provided guidance to other Deaf E3 teams, while still meeting the deliverables for my own initiative. Extra hours were also dedicated to training participants on how to use technology, as many Deaf Nigerians don’t often have the opportunity to develop these skills. Although not part of our official deliverables, this was critical to ensuring their engagement with the tools needed for our program. Balancing these roles alongside my duties as Executive Director made the work highly demanding, yet necessary.
A Call to Action
Support DDW and help us continue making a difference.
Written by: Sachiko Flores
