Deaf students build their technological future by coding silently

In an apartment in Jos, Plateau State, students use sign language to communicate. These kids may be deaf, but they learned to code silently from Deaf Technology Foundation, DTF instructor Wuni Bitrus.

Without uttering a word but with intensity in their eyes and a hand in constant animation, whether brainstorming or coding using Arduino, a group of students gather around a cluttered table to work on their latest project: building a “smart” fingerprint door.

This is a typical scenario at DTF, a nonprofit founded in 2017 to bridge the digital divide for deaf Nigerians. The foundation gives deaf students a chance at technology by equipping them with skills in robotics, computer programming and career guidance, to build a future where deafness is not a barrier.

Bitrus started DTF after witnessing the challenges faced by members of the deaf community during its national youth service. He was inspired by the experience of a deaf student to co-found DTF and secured funding from various sources, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and MIT in America, to empower deaf people.

The foundation gives hope to women like Mercy Samson Grimah, aka “Mama Robotics,” who is an aspiring computer scientist. “They just see us as lesser human beings,” she told the Christian Science Monitor. “Mama Robotics” went from being isolated and prejudiced because she was deaf to an inspiration who is on her way to becoming a woman in technology.

Mercy Sale, another DTF student, was told that her deafness made her unqualified to study computer science, but she is now pursuing web development at the foundation. Another student, Joy Yusuf, was denied admission to study medicine due to her disability, but her story was turned down. has changed as she is now studying to become a web developer.

DTF is currently struggling to keep these students’ dreams alive due to lack of funding. With only two paid instructors and student volunteers, it is difficult to keep up with the growing number of students. DTF currently has three clubs in Jos and additional venues in Zamfara and Abuja.

DTF has not lost hope and plans to capitalize on Nigeria’s technology boom, particularly in the field of robotics, by collaborating with companies in the country on self-driving car and automated wheelchair technology to drive growth and the financial health of DTF.

DTF contributor Lengdung Tungchamma, who also spoke to the Christian Science Monitor, sums it all up. “Deaf Tech does not see disability as a dead end, it gives hope.”