Changing lives and challenging discrimination

St Joseph’s isn’t just a place for children with hearing loss to access education - it’s a community, fighting for inclusion and a bright future for vulnerable children.

For children with hearing loss, attending school is about more than learning to read and write. It’s about joining a community, being accepted, and being able to take their place in society.

For some children, starting school is the first time they’ve met others with hearing loss, which is not always recognised - and often mistaken for a learning disability. Some families of children with hearing loss may not realise that their children have full understanding, and many are able to speak but not hear, or families may have no experience of using or seeing sign language.

St Joseph’s school plays a vital role in contributing to conversations around disability across the whole of Sierra Leone. The school is a hub for the University of Makeni’s Special Educational Needs teacher training programme, which was pioneered by St Joseph’s staff, and until fairly recently led by Sister Mary Sweeney, the former director of the school. Staff from the school have been consulted on shaping special educational needs policies at a local and government level, and their expertise is recognised across the country.

Many of the teachers have spent time in schools across Sierra Leone, identifying children with hearing loss and providing guidance and training for teachers in mainstream schools on recognising and including pupils with special educational needs.

The school is involved in various outreach projects with communities across Makeni, and pupils themselves play an active role in fighting discrimination against deaf people.

From sharing their experiences, to taking part in marches and the Makeni Marathon, attending mainstream schools for exams, to competing in (and winning) inter-school sports competitions, pupils are taking centre stage in showcasing their talents and potential to succeed - challenging stigma and preconceptions.