Somali Sign Language | |
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SSL | |
Native to | Somalia, Djibouti |
Kenyan Sign Language
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Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | None (mis ) |
Glottolog | keny1241 (with KSL:) Kenya-Somali Sign Language |
IETF | xki-SO |
Somali Sign Language (SSL) is a sign language used by the deaf community in Somalia and Djibouti.
In the 1980s a school for the deaf was established in the Somali Kenyan town of Wajir by Annalena Tonelli. Students there became fluent in Kenyan Sign Language. In 1997, three graduates from Wajir helped establish the first school for the deaf in Somalia called the Annalena School for the Deaf named after the late Annalena Tonelli, in Borama. One of the teachers at Boroma soon founded a school in Djibouti, and, with a bit more difficulty, another was established in Hargeisa. [1]
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa. Located on the easternmost part of the African mainland, it is the fourth largest peninsula in the world. It is composed of Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Although not common, broader definitions include parts or all of Kenya and Sudan. It has been described as a region of geopolitical and strategic importance, since it is situated along the southern boundary of the Red Sea; extending hundreds of kilometres into the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, and Indian Ocean, it also shares a maritime border with the Arabian Peninsula.
Somali is an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic branch. It is spoken primarily in Greater Somalia, and by the Somali diaspora as a mother tongue. Somali is an official language in both Somalia and Ethiopia, and serves as a national language in Djibouti, it is also a recognised minority language in Kenya. The Somali language is officially written with the Latin alphabet although the Arabic script and several Somali scripts like Osmanya, Kaddare and the Borama script are informally used.
The North Eastern Province is one of the former provinces of Kenya. It had a land area of 127,358.5 km2, with its capital at Garissa. The North Eastern Province was carved out of the then Northern Frontier District (NFD) prior to independence.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa. It includes governments from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes. It is headquartered in Djibouti.
The Garre are a prominent Somali clan that traces its lineage back to Samaale, who is believed to have originated from the Arabian Peninsula through Aqiil Abu Talib. The Garre clan is considered to be a sub-clan of the Digil-Rahanweyn clan family, which is part of the larger Rahanweyn clan. However, genealogically, they are descended from Gardheere Samaale. The Garre are also categorized as southern Hawiye as well.
Foreign relations of the Republic of Somaliland are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Somaliland. The region's self-declaration of independence remains unrecognised by the international community.
The Dir is one of the largest and most prominent Somali clans in the Horn of Africa. They are also considered to be the oldest Somali stock to have inhabited the region. Its members inhabit Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya.
Kenyan Sign Language is a sign language is used by the deaf community in Kenya and Somalia. It is used by over half of Kenya's estimated 600,000 deaf population. There are some dialect differences between Kisumu, Mombasa and Somalia.
Wajir is the capital of Wajir County in Kenya. It is situated in the former North Eastern Province. The district is primarily inhabited by the Dagodia Ajuran Ogaden Sheekhaal [[Masarre]] communities.
The endoglossic language of Somalia has always been Somali, although throughout Somalia's history various exoglossic languages have also been used at a national level.
Annalena Tonelli was an Italian Catholic lay missionary and social activist. She worked for 33 years in East Africa, where she focused on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, campaigns for eradication of female genital mutilation, and special schools for hearing-impaired, blind and disabled children. In June 2003, Tonelli was awarded the Nansen Refugee Award, which is given annually by the UNHCR to recognize outstanding service to the cause of refugees. In October 2003, she was killed inside her hospital by two gunmen.
Wajir County is a county in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Wajir. The county has a population of 781,263 and an area of 55,840.6 km2 (21,560.2 sq mi). The county is bordered to the north by Ethiopia, to the northeast by Mandera County, to the east by Somalia, to the south by Garissa County, to the west by Isiolo County and to the northwest by Marsabit County. The county has six constituencies: Wajir South, Tarbaj, Wajir North, Wajir West, Wajir East, and Eldas.
Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area of 23,200 km2 (8,958 sq mi).
The languages of Djibouti include Afar, Arabic, Somali and French. Somali and Afar are the most widely spoken tongues, and Arabic and French serve as the official languages.
Wajir West Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of six constituencies in the northeastern Wajir County. The constituency has 12 wards, all electing councillors to the Wajir County Council. It was established for the 1966 elections. The constituency is predominantly inhabited by Somalis.
Wajir South Constituency is a electoral constituency in Kenya. Wajir South is one of the six constituencies in Wajir County and one of the largest in Kenya. It is also one of the most neglected, underdeveloped, and unchanged constituencies in Kenya since its creation. The constituency IEBC data shows Wajir South land mass is about 21,424 sq km, hence larger than Central (11,449), Nairobi (696) and Western (7,400) regions combined. The constituency has seven wards Burder Ward, Dadajabula, Ibrahim ure, Diif, Lagboqol south, Habaswein, and Banane ward, all electing Members of County Assembly(MCA) to the Wajir County Assembly. On 27 September 2023, leaders from Wajir South Constituency led by area Mp Mr. Mohamed Adow submitted a memorundum proposing the creation of Wajir South County to the National Dialogue Committee at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. This was sparked by the inequitable distribution of Wajir County resources and allocation of county jobs with Wajir South getting a paltry 5.33% and 4.19% respectively despite accounting 40% of Wajir County.
Wajir Airport is an international airport in Wajir County, Kenya.
Deaf Education in Kenya is a constantly changing section of the Kenyan education system that is focused on educating deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing-impaired Kenyan students. There are many organizations in Kenya made to protect the rights of Deaf Kenyans and promote progress in deaf education. The state of Kenyan deaf education is constantly changing and improving.
Fatuma Ibrahim Ali is a Kenyan politician. She has been a Commissioner of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Ali was a Member of the 11th Session of the Kenyan Parliament representing the Wajir County. She was elected to the position in March 2013 on an Orange Democratic Movement ticket. She is currently a member of the 4th Assembly, of the East African Legislative Assembly representing Kenya. She is of Somali ethnicity.
Djibouti–Kenya relations are bilateral relations between Djibouti and Kenya. Both nations are members of the African Union and the United Nations.