MNI Stories

A group of about 15 people in school uniforms crowd together. Most are standing, one person crouches in front.

Establishing a Deaf School in Ethiopia: How it Was Done

First, his Deaf Center taught sign language to deaf people. Next, the government established a deaf school. Read how it was done.

Man is seated in front of a wall, signing to the camera.

Habel Ouma: Deaf Rights Advocacy in Kenya

Habel Ouma, Deaf rights advocate in Kenya, promotes deaf education & employment, justice for gender-based violence, & sign interpreting.

Sign showing Ghana National Association of the Deaf with Sarah standing in front

Showcase: GNAD

Sarah visited Ghana last year & worked with GNAD Youth. Watch the video to learn more!

Lesson learned? Ask people want they want and need. Imagine how excited your home community will be knowing that they are collecting goods which will be appreciated and used to make a real difference in people’s lives. Don’t send “Nana gifts.” Ask first.

Screen shot from video clip in which Norma Moran explains her experience as a young volunteer in Kenya

Young Volunteer in Kenya: Norma Morán’s experience

Sometimes experienced professionals don’t want younger people’s ideas. Norma Morán explains her experience as a young volunteer in Kenya.

Screenshot of a video in which a man is seated in front of a green background, signing to the camera. English captions are at the bottom of the screen.

Hearing and Deaf Kids Connecting

In one school in Zimbabwe, Africa, hearing students and deaf students didn’t interact. But one day, that changed–hearing and deaf kids connected.

Image of a flow chart entitled "How A Law is Passed". The left side of the flow chart shows how a bill passes through the Philippines House of Representatives, the right side shows how the same bill passes through the Philippines Senate. In both the House and the Senate, a Representative or Senator writes and files a bill, which is then assigned a number starting with HB (for the House version of the bill) or SB (for the Senate version of the bill). Next, different versions of the bill are written by different Representatives or Senators, and the first "Reading" of the bill is held in the House and in the Senate. Then the House version of the bill is assigned to a House of Representatives Committee while the Senate version of the bill is assigned to a Senate Committee. Next, each Committee calls a Public Hearing. The bill goes to a Technical Working Group (TWG) in the House and in the Senate. Then a second Reading is held and the House Committee and the Senate Committee each approve their version of the bill. Then there is a third Reading and Plenary Debate of each version of the bill. If the bill is approved in both the House and the Senate, then the two versions of the bill are brought together in the Conference Committee so that the Committee can merge the House and Senate versions of the bill. Finally, the President can sign the bill into law. To the left of the flow chart is a note that says "Approved and passed HB 7503". To the right side of the flow chart, there is a photograph of a group of people with excited facial expressions. Also to the right of the flow chart are two notes, one saying "SB1455 approved in the TWG level" and the other note saying "2nd Reading Passed" (in reference to the Senate version of the bill). Below the flow chart is another message that says, "The lobbying and advocacy is not yet but we are one step CLOSER! The Philippine Federation of the Deaf needs your support. #SaveOurFilipinoSignLanguage"

Passing the Filipino Sign Language Act

The president of the Philippines Federation of the Deaf explains the process for passing the Filipino Sign Language Act.

Screenshot from a video on the Deaf Feminist movement in Argentina

Deaf Feminist Movement of Argentina

MOSFA, @Moviemiento de Sordas Feministas Argentina, a Deaf Feminist collective from Argentina pushes the understanding of feminism to include people of all genders and ablilities in their fight against oprressive systems.

Fostering local sign language and leadership

Expert international volunteer worker Kirk Van Gilder talks about the importance of fostering local sign language and leadership rather than imposing your own sign language.

A woman and a man stand next to a sheet of flip chart paper that is filled with drawings and a few words written in Vietnamese and English. The man is signing to people off camera, as the woman looks on.

CBM Representatives Meet Deaf Leaders from Vietnam

Two Deaf leaders from Vietnam, Huong and Linh, share what they know with two CBM staff members, Elizabeth Lockwood and Sian Tesni.

Photo of a woman making the "I love you" hand shape.

Dulamsuren Jigjid: Mongolian Deaf Leader

Mongolian Deaf leader Dulamsuren Jigjid shares her story of how she became an empowered Deaf woman leader. She is advancing disability rights in Mongolia.

Malu from Chile

Malu, who has taught Chilean Sign Language to Deaf children, describes her experience in the first leadership school for Deaf women in Chile.