Share this article

The non-profit student organization “Sign Language for All” at Makerere University hosted its first silent dinner to raise funds for providing free sign language services to refugees and rural communities. Founded by deaf student Alex Ogwal, the initiative involves student volunteers teaching sign language in Kampala.

Alex Ogwal, the founder of Sign Language for All making his remarks at the silent dinner. Courtesy Newvision

A non-profit student organization called Sign Language for All hosted its first-ever silent dinner to raise three million shillings to support their efforts to provide free sign language services to refugees and rural communities.

Makerere University student Alex Ogwal, who is deaf, started the initiative and collaborates with volunteers who are also fellow students who have hearing impairments. They instruct individuals in sign language throughout Kampala.

The silent dinner was arranged with the theme “Signs of Unity: Celebrating Sign Language and Digital Unity” last week. Additionally, they released the Reach All APP, an app that provides sign language interpretation services.

Forty people showed up for the event at Sports View Hotel Kireka, including Great Character author and software engineer Sedrick Otolo. The others are Asher Ajroush Namatovu, the executive director of the Naffe Tusobola Foundation, Francis Olanya, an expert on disability inclusion, and Gorreti Byomire, a lecturer and director of the MUBS disability resource and learning center.

There are more than 1.2 million deaf people in Uganda, according to Rtd. Gen. Gregory Mugisha Muntu, president of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), who was the main guest and advocated for government support for the deaf communities.

The speaker expressed his admiration for the students’ outstanding work in teaching sign language to facilitate communication. He also expressed his hope for a society in which everyone is included and no one is left behind.

Gen. Mugisha Muntu handing a certificate to one of the volunteers. Courtesy of Newvision

Otolo contributed five books (character-building) to the project, and Muntu paid sh500,000 for one.

Byomire promised the students unwavering support as they continue to reach more Ugandans throughout the nation.

The project coordinator, Ogwal, states that their goal is to establish a society in which there are no obstacles to communication. He pleaded with more people and groups to support them by planning more silent dinner fundraisers in order to further their cause.

Along with other partners, he expressed gratitude to Techbuzz Hub, Diverse Empowerment Foundation, Ug. Print, United Persons with Disabilities, Sound of Silence Africa Initiative, and Global All Integrated Development Initiative.