Deafness takes on a very different form in sub-Saharan Africa.
Many children become deaf early in life through a disease, like malaria.
Unlike the West, where many who are hard of hearing have access to resources and support, deafness can be disabling in remote places where sign language is not taught and support is hard to come by.
Meet Patrick (on the right). He is deaf and unable to speak.
Patrick is one of the lucky ones. A sign-language school was recently set up for individuals like him.
It made a world of a difference.
See the full video to catch the exact, heart-melting moment when Patrick regains hope.
Again, Patrick is one of the lucky ones. This is not a minor problem.
Issues like this can be hard to wrap your head around. Videos like this one can help us better move past the staggering statistics to understand what it’s like to be one of the 360 million. And maybe more important, what a difference it makes to finally get support.
