Bridging the Gap: Technology helps Kenya's deaf community with health education

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02:28

Access to information on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS is limited among members of Kenya's deaf community. One innovator hopes to change this and helps members of the deaf community to be more aware, using technology.

Over 300,000 Kenyans are hearing impaired and most don't have access to basic healthcare information, especially about HIV/AIDS.

"Sex Elimu is an App where we focus on developing apps for education and teaching different subjects and we focus on the deaf community. We get the material and translate into signs like sex, condom, family planning all those different concepts we change into sign language."

Harrison Asiema put his app to the test at a start-up incubator in Nairobi.

ANNE LAWI HEAD, INCUBATION PARTNERSHIP, NAILAB "They were to test it out and figure out that the product can work for the target audience which is 15-24 years old in the deaf community."

The app helps to bridge communication gaps.

JOSEPH BARASA COUNSELLOR, LVCT HEALTH "In terms of access to health doctors are few who know sign language and where there are no interpreters, they write and often use technical terms which can be hard for many to understand."

Although Deaf Elimu Plus is still in its infancy, there's definitely a market for it.

"We have about one thousand so far who have downloaded and users and not only in Kenya, they are from different parts of the world who have downloaded and it's both the deaf and hearing."

Asiema is looking for funding to expand his initiative. One challenge is the lack of healthcare data on marginalised groups.

JOSEPH BARASA COUNSELLOR, LVCT HEALTH "So there is an attitude problem worldwide when it comes to health we see general programmes on polio, rape but no specific data on deaf people who have been raped or have polio."

Although he still has a long way to go, Asiema hopes that one day, Deaf Elimu Plus will be available worldwide, empowering members of the deaf community to make informed decisions about their health. BO, CGTN, N, Kenya.