Deborah* was born hearing. She was the only girl among four brothers. At four years old, she had a bout with the measles. After that, her mother wondered why she didn’t come when she called, but finally realized that the measles had left her daughter deaf. Her mother was able to find a school that had both hearing and Deaf children, but with the Deaf and hearing students together in one classroom and the teachers voicing the instruction, the Deaf children were not able to understand or learn. Thankfully, her mom was able to find another school for the Deaf, a boarding school, but the sign language was different than what she had learned as was the spoken language and written language. For two years, she really tried hard to learn these new languages as well as the subjects being taught. During school breaks, she went home to her family. She felt very left out when they communicated with each other, but made little to no effort to communicate with her. She cried a lot and stayed in her room.
One day, when back at boarding school, a Deaf man came and shared with the students about Christ. She says that she hadn’t understood anything about God before that. Deaf children often have the experience of not knowing much about their parents’ faith even if their parents are Christians. Then someone invited her to visit a church where she learned more about God. The message was signed, but it was in American Sign Language rather than in either of the two sign languages she had already learned. She continued to feel angry and lonely at home and fought a lot with her brother. She says he pushed her around. Sadly, many Deaf people speak of feeling oppressed by their own families.
She was invited to a Christian camp meeting and responded to an invitation to enter into a relationship with Jesus there. After that, she says, “My life really changed”. Some people made fun of her for making that faith decision and it really hurt her. After she finished her schooling, she returned home with her family and didn’t have much to do or look forward to so she just waited, hoping for an opportunity. An opportunity presented to make jewelry, but it was hard for her to travel to and from that place. She always had to ask her mother for bus fare, so eventually had to stop going.
Even with that setback, she was an enterprising woman and decided to borrow money to start her own jewelry making business. She did make some sales and was able to make a financial contribution to help buy food for her family. Unfortunately, as sometimes happens in African cultures, family members asked so often for money that she wasn’t able to reinvest in her own business to buy materials to keep it going.
She ended up giving away the materials she had left to a friend who was really poor and needed a way to earn income. Still, she kept waiting for an opportunity while living at home. Finally, an opportunity appeared, working at Sasa Designs. She is happy to earn income to help provide for her mom who struggles financially. Deborah also says, “I have a Deaf friend who is a prostitute who needs to change. If I have these things then I can help her to change. If I can provide her an opportunity to do something besides prostitution I hope I will be able to bring her into this business. I see women in Kenya; Deaf women suffer more than men. I really want to help women and pray God will help these ladies to work with us.”
The business that now employs Deborah gives her a chance to work in dignity, develop higher level jewelry making skills than she had before, and earn wages that allow her to support herself and contribute to her family’s needs. It also gives her hope of reaching out to other Deaf women who need an opportunity to work in dignity.
Please consider making a financial gift that enables OneMaker to continue to provide training to the leaders of the artisan group Deborah works with as well as to teach the Deaf artisans themselves new jewelry making skills.
*Name changed to protect artisan’s privacy.
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