There are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide, collectively using more than 200 sign languages. In Bulgaria, the number of people with varying degrees of hearing loss is around 120 000.As part of society, they are entitled to equal access to information and to career and professional development opportunities.Following the outbreak of the pandemic, national television stations introduced sign language interpretation in all news broadcasts, giving hearing-impaired citizens access to information about what is happening around the world and in the country.

While this is a significant step towards their integration, it is still insufficient for the deaf community to feel fully part of society. This is where a new online platform, still under development, comes in.

It will help deaf people who are keen to improve and develop their skills in a variety of fields. "We would like to have different companies involved in this project. Their representatives will prepare workshops and meetings for a certain number of people," Zlatina Petrova, manager of the design studio which created the platform, told Radio Bulgaria. According to her, the communication will take place via video chat, which will also feature sign language interpretation. It is not yet known what percentage of sign language interpreters in the country would agree to invest time and effort into such a project:

"This is the perfect opportunity to say that we would like to attract sign language interpreters who communicate in English so that we can interact with experts and young people who are outside our country and do not know Bulgarian sign language," Zlatina Petrova says.

The authors of the platform have yet to start talks with potential sign language interpreters, and hope that the very idea and development of the platform will make them respond to the invitation to work together.

Programming-wise, the creators hope to have the platform up and running by the end of the year. They are open to talk to anyone who would like to help the process along, with funding coming entirely from the company. Promoting the good examples and achievements of Bulgarians with hearing impairment is also a great opportunity and an occasion to spark debate about the difficulties they face on a daily basis.

"Boris Bаndev's story is a good example of a successful person," says Zlatina. It would be great to see more young people who are so proactive, creative and despite being with a hearing impairment, manage to compensate for it and not be 'less valuable people' than others."

With the story of his life, which he told in sign language, Boris Bandev was directly selected for the finals of a reality TV show last year. As the hearing child of deaf parents, he learned sign language at an early age, and today is one of the managers of a company that aims to provide sign language training to a range of businesses, as well as sign language interpretation for TV programmes and commercials.

English: Elizabeth Radkova

Photos: pixabay, personal library, Facebook /Boris Bаndev