KARACHI: Pakistani startup ConnectHear has won this year's WSA Young Innovators award for a smartphone app that offers virtual sign language interpreters to persons with hearing loss.
The World Summit Awards (WSA) Young Innovators is a special recognition for people under 26 years of age who use digital technology to take action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
ConnectHear was created in 2017 by Azima Dhanjee and Arhum Ishtiaq. The app, through which a deaf person can instantly and remotely connect with an interpreter, won the award last week for "connecting the deaf to the world."
"I believe it is that and our continuous innovation that helped us win this award. We were really hopeful that this time they would recognize our struggle and consistent work for the community," Ishtiaq told Arab News on Sunday, adding that they had been applying for the award since 2019.
"Once they announced ConnectHear as the global winner, my mom hugged me tightly as I was screaming," Dhanjee said.
Her deaf parents inspired the creation of the app.
"My parents were my inspiration towards this idea. Growing up I never felt my parents were different as we led a very normal life just like my friend’s families did. But once my schooling started and I interacted with more people, I realized how quickly people would stare at us at hospitals, parent teacher meetings, malls, just because we would talk to each other in sign language," she said.
ConnectHear co-founder Azima Dhanjee takes part in an activity for trainees at her office in November, 2020. (Photo curtesy: ConnectHear/File)
She started to think how technology could help connect her parents with others when she realized that they were forced to be dependent on her and her brother with things as basic as going for a doctor's appointment.
"I met so many deaf families over there who were struggling with the same challenge. There were people with all deaf family members who had to rely on external support for simplest tasks," Dhanjee said.
"People would ask us why we don’t do anything to fix our parents as if there was something wrong with them."
Recalling the beginnings of the company, Ishtiaq said it was a Facebook page through which they would teach sign language. The push to make an interactive tool came from one particular experience when a deaf person sought their help with obtaining a credit card.
“One day, a deaf individual from Gujranwala requested us to interpret for them as they were struggling to get a bank debit card because the manager could not understand him," Ishtiaq said.
"We were confused as to how to serve there while being in Karachi. He told us to connect over WhatsApp video call and we did. Our interpretation went smoothly, and the deaf person was able to get the debit card within two weeks. We then firmly decided to work on more avenues to solve the issues faced by deaf community."
ConnectHear has until now provided 100,000+ minutes of sign language interpretation, made 600+ videos that were viewed more than 2 million times, and trained over 700 people in sign language.
"Through our application, we will now provide the ability for any deaf person to gain independence by just a single tap of a button on their smartphones," Ishtiaq said. "We are especially pushing it towards corporations so that no deaf person hesitates before walking into a bank, hospital or other public/private spaces."
Another gap they want to fill is in the world of information. They became aware of it especially in the wake of the pandemic.
"Deaf community was not informed about any of COVID SOPs or regulation due to this gap in our media industry," Ishtiaq said. "We run our own infotainment channel on YouTube with the goal of keeping deaf individuals equally informed."
Dhanjee said she had been raised seeing her parents excluded from society. The sense of exclusion became acute during the virus outbreak.
"During COVID, when we saw ourselves interpreting press conferences for our parents, we knew that we need to interpret online for all deaf community because if our parents face it that means everyone else does too," she said.
"It makes me happier when I see more family and friends of the Deaf getting inspired by ConnectHear and taking a step to become a part of our team. I see the impact ConnectHear is making directly and indirectly in the lives of deaf individuals hence I know it is important to stay consistent and keep growing."
