Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You’re reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
A 2019 study by American nonprofit media organization NPR showed that untreated hearing loss is very often linked to loneliness and isolation, particularly for the elderly. Another 2014 study by UK-based charity organization Hearing Link highlighted that 68% of people with hearing loss or deafness sometimes felt isolated at their workplaces. Unfortunately, these emotions have only been exacerbated among the deaf community by a global pandemic that has forced social isolation and increased digital communications.
I Hear You
Mohamed Aboelazm and Eman Khamis, co-founders, I Hear You
“Everyday innovations in communication alter our lives, connect people who are worlds apart, and help conquer distances; yet, we are still struggling to overcome differences,” says Eman Khamis, co-founder and Operation Manager of I Hear You, a digitally inclusive mobile application that aims to translate written and verbal communication to sign language and vice-versa. “I Hear You is a translator for sign language, through which everyone can communicate, learn, serve, and be served in sign language. Our core belief is that everyone has the right to be heard and understood!”
Launched in 2020, with bases set up in both Abu Dhabi as well as Vancouver, I Hear You was conceptualized after one of its co-founders, Mohamed Aboelazm, witnessed a car accident that involved a deaf and mute individual back in 2013. “The man was in utmost distress, as he was asking for help for his family using sign language, but Mohamed had no prior knowledge of it at the time,” elaborates Khamis. “As a result, he couldn’t understand or help him in the way he needed. That experience left him with a deep sense of defeat, and an equal determination for change. He dedicated the next two years of his life to find a way to eliminate this barrier that can hinder the most valuable of human interactions: communication.”
While the startup is still in the midst of fine-tuning its services, the business model set in place is quite clear. From a sign language keyboard offering and a sign language educational platform to the aforementioned service of translating text and voice messages to sign language, I Hear You is looking to adopt a holistic approach to this issue. “Monthly, annual, and course-based subscriptions for individuals start from US$10,” elaborates Khamis. “These will unlock various sign languages, maps, multiple sign language categories as well as sign language courses.”
Related: Startup Spotlight: Cairo-Based Cupmena Is On A Quest To Create A Sustainable Agritech Sector
Khamis further adds that the startup is also targeting corporates that aim to be more inclusive by hiring deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. “There is an insufficient number of digital platforms that teach sign language, and there is also the existing problem of a low number of deaf people being …….
Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/411109