PHOTO: Honourable Laura Kanushu officially launching the Digitisation and Standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language and Digital Inclusion of the Deaf Community in Uganda project in Sembabule District
Access to information and communication is a fundamental right and a prerequisite for meaningful participation in education, health, employment, justice and community life.
For Deaf persons in Uganda, this access is primarily through Ugandan Sign Language (UgSL). However, the lack of a formal National UgSL Standard, coupled with limited digital UGSL resources, continues to exclude Deaf persons from key information and digital services.
Benchmarking on the International Deaf Awareness Week commemorated from 14th-18th September, Uganda National Association of the Deaf in partnership with Eight Tech Consults and with support from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) through the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF), launched the “Digitisation and Standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language and Digital Inclusion of the Deaf Community in Uganda” project on 18th September, 2026 in Sembabule district.
The launch formed part of a series of activities held during the International Deaf Awareness week, creating opportunities for the Deaf community, partners and the wider public to inclusively engage. Part of these activities included a public lecture focused on digitalisation, opportunities and access to digital services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, highlighting how technology can open pathways to education, employment, entrepreneurship, information and essential services. The public lecture provided a platform for knowledge sharing, awareness creation and public dialogue on digital accessibility, universal access and the opportunities and challenges faced by Deaf persons in accessing digital services. Eight Tech Consults represented by the COO, CPA Baker Ssekitto, delivered a key lecture focusing on universal access, digital transformation and accessible digital services for Deaf persons.
“We are working on having one dictionary, manual and standardized sign language. We believe that inclusive communication means having technology that is smart and adds value to the way Deaf people communicate and access services right from Health, Justice, Education,Employment among other services,” CPA Baker Ssekitto said during his keynote speech.
PHOTO: CPA Baker Ssekitto delivering a keynote speech during the public lecture in commemoration of the International Deaf Awareness Week 2026
Following the public lecture, the “Digitisation and Standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language and Digital Inclusion of the Deaf Community in Uganda” project was officially launched on 18th September by Hon. Laura Kanushu, who represented the Speaker of Parliament as the chief guest. Different stakeholders including government representatives, Deaf community, Development Partners, organisations and other stakeholders convened during the week to reflect on the importance of digitizing and standardizing Uganda sign language, technology and innovation in advancing the rights and participation of Deaf people.
PHOTO: The Executive Director of the Uganda National Association of the Deaf, Robert Nkwangu, acknowledging the official launch of the Digitisation and Standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language and Digital Inclusion of the Deaf Community in Uganda project in Sembabule district
A key component of the project is to contribute to the development of a national standard for Ugandan Sign Language, including the documentation of signs, dictionary, language structures and reference materials that can support consistent learning and use of the language. These resources are intended to support Deaf people, teachers, interpreters, researchers, service providers and other users seeking to learn or work with Uganda Sign Language.
This project comes at a time when Uganda continues to expand the use of technology across education, government, healthcare, business and other areas of public life. Therefore, the project will also support the development of digital UgSL resources, including an accessible digital repository and technology-enabled solutions that can make sign-language content easier to access. These resources are intended to support Deaf people, teachers, interpreters, researchers, service providers and other users seeking to learn or work with Ugandan Sign Language.
Beyond developing digital resources, the project also focuses on capacity building and digital skills development. Through training and community engagement, the initiative will strengthen the ability of Deaf people to use digital technologies while also supporting service providers and organisations to communicate more effectively with Deaf people.
Beyond developing digital resources, the project also focuses on capacity building and digital skills development. Through training and community engagement, the initiative will strengthen the ability of Deaf people to use digital technologies while also supporting service providers and organisations to communicate more effectively with Deaf people. Therefore, the digitisation and standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language is not simply about putting signs into a digital platform. It is about creating stronger foundations for communication, learning, research and access to services while ensuring that Uganda’s digital transformation does not leave Deaf people behind.
As an implementing partner, Eight Tech Consults brings together its experience in technology, research, digital skills development and inclusive digital solutions to support an intervention that places Deaf people at the centre of digital transformation, and as the project progresses, its focus will remain on developing practical and sustainable resources that can support the Deaf community and the institutions that serve them. From standardised language resources and digital repositories to capacity building and digital skills, the initiative seeks to connect language accessibility with the opportunities created by technology.
PHOTO: Eight Tech’s COO, CPA Baker Ssekitto representing the company at the launch of the Digitisation and Standardisation of Ugandan Sign Language and Digital Inclusion of the Deaf Community in Uganda project in Sembabule district.