Listen Up, Sofia

In Bulgaria there are about 120,000 people with hearing disabilities. Access to education is particularly difficult for the approximately 5,000 – 7,000 children affected. There are only three special schools for hearing impaired and deaf children in Bulgaria, which can accommodate about 500 children. As a result, most of them have to attend a regular school that is not specialized in supporting these children. In most cases the teachers and classmates do not speak sign language, which makes it almost impossible to communicate with each other. This in turn results in the fact that these children are denied equal access to education and can hardly participate in social life.

In the project in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a classroom and a centre for the deaf will be set up to provide children with hearing impairments with an education tailored to their special needs.

The project is aimed at hearing impaired and deaf children and young people. Not only the small number of special schools for hearing impaired and deaf children is a problem in Bulgaria. In addition, these special schools do not offer bilingual education methods that teach both Bulgarian sign language and Bulgarian spoken language. Bulgarian sign language is not used for educational purposes at the special schools and the majority of the teachers do not know any sign language.

The project aims to improve the living situation of people with hearing disabilities in Bulgaria in a long-term and sustainable way. To this end, Lufthansa Technik employees in Sofia and the Listen Up Foundation developed a multi-part concept. On the one hand, classrooms at regular schools will be equipped with special technology so that the children can be better integrated into the lessons and supported. In addition, educational institutions that already take care of the advancement and inclusion of children with hearing impairments will be supported and receive assistance from new technology.

Furthermore a centre for the deaf will be established. In the future, therapists and teachers will be trained here. The concept of the project also includes the development of an online platform where teachers, therapists, parents and also affected persons can gain access to information and special educational materials. The activities of the project are supported by the government of the city of Sofia and the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science.

Increased education for the deaf even in mainstream schools enables parents of children with hearing disabilities to choose schools where deaf and inclusive educational practices are available for their children. In this way they receive the special and inclusive support they need. The various innovative educational and empowerment practices are intended to bring about change and, in the long term, to create a life of equality for deaf and hard of hearing children. Thus, future generations of deaf and hearing impaired young people can be active participants in the social life in Bulgaria. The long-term goal of the project is to create a model that other Balkan and Central European countries can follow. This would lead to an effective exchange program within the community of deaf and hard of hearing people in Eastern and Central Europe.

With your donation you give deaf and hearing impaired children and young people in Bulgaria a chance for an equal education and thus contribute to their inclusion and integration into society.