MTN launches deaf awareness campaign

MTN SA Executive for Corporate Affairs, Jacqui O'Sullivan

MTN SA Executive for Corporate Affairs, Jacqui O’Sullivan

by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) MTN South Africa is promoting Deaf Awareness through the love of music.

The mobile operator has partnered with up-and-coming rapper, The LazarusMan and St Vincent’s School of the Deaf to create a bespoke track using South African Sign Language (SASL) for the hard of hearing and/or deaf community during the month of September.

With approximately 4 million South Africans having hearing difficulties with an estimated 500 000 and 600 000 using SASL, it has become more important than ever to acknowledge people living with hearing challenges and disabilities.

“Connecting people and enabling them to communicate, is at the heart of our business,” said Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive: Corporate Affairs at MTN SA.

“Hard of hearing and deaf South Africans do not have the same access to most services that able-hearing South Africans do, and for this reason we wanted to package unconventional, although uniquely South African content, specifically for the deaf community.”

The LazarusMan specifically learnt SASL for the creation of track, entitled DefBars.

Hey Papa Legend mastered the track.

O’Sullivan said rap artists were known for using their hands in music videos, so this genre of music and The LazarusMan were a natural fit to bring this concept to life.

The executive said knowing how to communicate in all South African languages, including SASL, should be a goal for all.

“In fact, some communities are lobbying for it to become the 12th official language,” O’Sullivan said.

– CAJ News

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