00:05It has taken more than 20 years for Somalia to develop a sign language dictionary, a milestone
00:13that advocates say could transform education for deaf children across the country.
00:19The dictionary is designed to provide a common reference for students, teachers and interpreters
00:25while helping improve communication and learning in classrooms.
00:30More than 3,000 students currently enrolled in registered schools are expected to benefit from the initiative.
01:10The next challenge is putting the dictionary into practice.
01:15Somalia's Ministry of Education says it will integrate the new resource into the national education curriculum.
01:25The new resource is a partnership with theicks of your students, teachers and teachers.
01:43The new resource is a resource for the teachers and teachers.
01:52say more attention is needed to address the causes of hearing impairments. They are calling
01:59for greater public awareness, improved maternal health care and early medical screening to
02:06help identify hearing problems in children and ensure timely intervention.
02:11What we have seen is the children with hearing impairment are far more greater than those
02:18with visual impairment. After I have some consulted and talked to many medical expertise, they
02:26told me this happens throughout the pregnancy. While some of the mothers are pregnant, some
02:31of the mothers, they take some medications which is not compatible with pregnancy. And
02:38that is the result of those medicines. And most of the world, when that kind of problem
02:46happens, these children, they do get a medical surgery before they start talking. So after
02:54the child is started talking and having surgery and implant, then you need to do the speech
03:01therapy.
03:02For Somalia's deaf community, the new dictionary represents more than just a collection of science.
03:08It's an important step towards breaking communication barriers and expanding access to education. In
03:15a country facing multiple challenges, advocates hope the initiative will give thousands of
03:21children greater opportunities to learn, communicate and participate in society.
