By: Zam Nakityo
Sign Language for All, a nonprofit advocating inclusion and access for Uganda’s deaf community, has launched a new mobile application aimed at reducing communication barriers for deaf Ugandans.
The app offers round-the-clock video relay interpretation, district-based interpreter booking, AI captioning, sign language learning resources and a community forum.
The app was launched at the Annual Silent Dinner organised by Sign Language for All on December 7, 2025, at Eureka Place Hotel in Ntinda.
Speaking at the event, the organisation’s founder and team leader, Alex Ogwal, said Deaf Ugandans continue to face systemic communication barriers in education, healthcare, the justice system and employment.
Ogwal said many Deaf learners are forced to pay separately for sign language interpreters, a cost that often limits their ability to complete secondary education.
He also cited cases of deaf women unable to report abuse at police stations due to the absence of officers who can communicate in sign language, and Deaf patients struggling to access medical care because health workers lack basic sign language skills.
Despite these challenges, Ogwal highlighted progress made by the organisation over the past three years. He said more than 350 hearing Ugandans have been trained in sign language, while over 700 health workers have acquired basic sign language skills to improve communication with Deaf patients.
He also listed initiatives, including the Talking Hands Football Club, the development of the Deaf Assist mobile application, a beginner’s sign language handbook, and the FACES Project, which trained more than 300 medical workers with support from the US Mission in Uganda and Lancet Laboratories.
Ogwal noted that the organisation still faces challenges, including the lack of a physical office, limited equipment, insufficient human resources and the absence of a fully functional video relay interpretation studio.
He appealed to organisations, individuals and development partners to support deaf inclusion efforts through training, advocacy and funding.
Other Sign language advocates who attended the event called on public institutions in Uganda to adopt inclusive communication practices to serve deaf citizens better.
Donald Waruhanga, president of the Youth Coalition for SDGs Uganda, said initiatives promoting sign language align with the goal of leaving no one behind under the Sustainable Development Goals.
One of the graduates, Denis Twasiima, said learning sign language has improved his ability to communicate with Deaf patients. He said his interest in sign language was sparked by an earlier encounter with a patient he could not communicate with effectively.
The event also featured an awards ceremony recognising individuals and institutions promoting sign language in Uganda. Kalangala Sign Language Centre was named Best Outstanding Centre, while Isaac Muhumuza received the Most Outstanding Deaf Male Advocate award for 2025. Wandera Paul was recognised as the Outstanding Male Sign Language Student, and Moris Okabo received the award for Most Outstanding Sign Language Instructor, among others.
In his closing remarks, Ogwal encouraged graduates and advocates to remain active in promoting Deaf inclusion, saying more opportunities would be rolled out in 2026 through the Deaf Assist platform and other initiatives.
