Being the first from Pakistan this year, ConnectHear, a young social entrepreneurial start-up, has been honored with The Diana Awards for going above and beyond in their daily lives to create and sustain positive change.
“Growing up, I saw my deaf parents struggle with communicating with the outside world. I saw raw talent go unrecognized because of the barrier that is language. Using that as a motivation, we aimed to create a platform to eliminate this communication gap and help the deaf people reach their potential,” said Azima Dhanjee.
Inaugurated in the remembrance of Diana, Princess of Wales, the award is presented by the charity of the same name. It hopes to develop and inspire positive change in the lives of young people through three key programs which include; a mentoring program for young people at risk, a youth-led anti-bullying ambassadors campaign, and a prestigious award that recognizes young changemakers worldwide.
The late Princess’s sons, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex have both pledged their full support to the awards that started in 1999 and have since acknowledged over 48,000 young people across the globe.
Arhum Ishtiaq, Azima Dhanjee, Areej Al Medinah, Zainab Syed, Syed Talal Ali, and Sadaf Amin from ConnectHear, in Pakistan, have been recognized with the highest accolade young people can achieve for Social Action or Humanitarian Efforts – The Diana Award.
ConnectHear is a social entrepreneurial start-up, incubated at the Nest I/O in Pakistan, led by aspiring youth who are working for social inclusion of the Deaf Community through Sign Language interpretation services.
Talal Ali expressed the need to bridge the communication gap between deaf and hearing society. He further stated,
Creating inclusive content for the Pakistani Deaf Community has granted me the right to learn more about them and their potentiality. It has made me more compassionate and tolerant.
Zainab Syed highlighted,
I feel that it is our responsibility to ensure that deaf people are understood and granted unconditional access to the same opportunities as we are. It is important to quash the narrative that deaf people are incapable, when they are competent, can feel, be seen, and therefore should be welcomed.
Pakistan has approximately 10 million individuals with some level of hearing loss, and less than 1% have Sign Language interpreters. ConnectHear’s remote and instant video Sign Language interpretation service is the first to cater to these individuals located throughout the country.
“As a Sign Language instructor, I have always wanted to help more people learn the language of the deaf,” Sadaf Amin brought forward.
Because the community stands in need of feeling embraced, listened to like someone made the effort to learn to communicate with them in their tongue.
The start-up is also involved in encouraging Sign Language literacy and awareness through training and certification of professional Sign Language interpreters. Through their services, they speak for inclusion in the community’s academic institutions, professional environments, and social events, and hopes to reshape the way in which deaf people are received and perceived in Pakistani society.
Fahasi promote ke jari hai shame shame shame. Khair ye sab toh qayamat ke nishaniyan hai.
Aj Ki Aurat Main Islaam Main REHTE Howe Maghribi Rules Chahti hai
Jo K Impossible hai
Yar tum khamosh nahi reh sakte kisi post par? Topic k baray me kakh nahi pata phir b munh kholna zaroori hai?
yar ap he eik shareef bande ho jo thora bohat bolte be ho warna baake sab ke gairat ko toh zang lag gaya hai. Kahan se laye ache log shortage hai ache logon ke.
Can you help the 10 million deaf people in Pakistan then? No, you’re just a keyboard warrior who likes putting other people down. People who are trying to accomplish something worthwhile in life. Change your mental outlook and grow up.
People like you can’t even help 1 person in life, but when someone is trying to help and change the lives of 10 million people, people who are your fellow countrymen, you have a problem with them because of “fahashi”? Go get a life man.
“C” abay jahil kisi doctor ko dekha dakkan. Two wrong doesn’t make a right. Agar deaf people ke liye help ke toh proper clothing mein rakhe ke be ke ja sakhte. People like u are keyboard warrior bas bak bak kar walo kamchor se. Bcoz of people like u Pak is going downwards.
Yeah, because of people like me Pakistan is going downwards. Not because of people like you who shove their standards down everyone’s throats. Go screw yourself with an electric pole.
You are special case. Focus on “Special.”
lag rha hai “C” ke girlfriend hai in above pic is liye is ko bohat takleef hori hai bechare bache ko hahahaha
Poor incel keyboard warrior. Living in 18th century thinking women should be in cages.
You’re the textbook definition of incel. I feel sorry for you man.
You should do ur dna test bake akalmand ke liye isara kafi samjha
Wahe qiyamat ke nishani poori hore hai that, “Good will be shown as bad and bad will be shown as good.” Idiot “C” is prime example of mentally unstable idiots.
I request staff of this blog to delete idiot “C” comments and ban his email and ip thanks.
Well wat do you expect from liberal dakkan, liberal wing nuts & pathological idiot. Haqeeqat TV is also against these liberal fassadi fraudia.
Not just HaqeeqatTV but Pak Army, ISI, Rangers are also against these liberal fas cists co-ck-roaches.