In our hustling lives to survive, we are merely making a difference in society. We follow the same routine as thousands of other people in our country. On the other hand, there are some heroes who struggle to find a platform for their recognition, every single day. All they need is acknowledgment and equal opportunities for their voiceless protests in Pakistan. Today, I want to pay a tribute to iconic symbols of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) Community.
- Faizan – Owner of Abey Khao
Sheikh Faizan Raza and his siblings Syed Jawad Raza and Ayesha Raza started Abey Khao as a food cart but later expanded it into a full-fledged business, which was recently featured by BBC.
Faizan faced many challenges as a young entrepreneur. Being doubted as being too young and naive to run a business on his own, being bullied at school for not being able to speak normally due to his hearing problem, and being condemned for dropping out of college and starting a business instead, Faizan has silenced all his detractors by standing firm despite all odds. Today, the same people praise him and his prosperous business.
- Kamran – Graphic Designer & IT Expert
Kamran Lashari is Pakistan’s leading IT Expert and Graphic Designer. He is also a Deaf Ambassador at DeafTawk. He plays a pivotal role in counseling and advising young members of the deaf community. He encourages other members to never give up and seek higher education, even when opportunities are scarce.
Being deaf in Pakistan has made it difficult for Kamran to navigate the issues that have arisen. His rocky start became his motivation to work for an inclusive society and assist others in overcoming obstacles.
Kamran intends to keep up the “hard work and campaigning for deaf rights” until the Deaf Community is given the attention it deserves on both a national and international scale.
- Sakina Batool – Content Creator
Sakina Batool is a deaf influencer, activist, and content creator. For the past three years, Sakina has been actively exploring and creating content. She has been working hard to empower women, uplift the deaf community, and promote deaf tourism in Pakistan.
Instead of giving up on the challenges, she faced since her childhood, Sakina stood strong and aimed to make a difference. She has successfully established a platform to support deaf women and the community as a whole. She is using her content to reach out to both the hearing and deaf communities, with the goal of bridging the communication gap.
- Hassan – Vlogger & Blogger
In the massive industry of Pakistani Youtube Vloggers, Hassan Ahmad is the most precious soul and a noteworthy media influencer. Differently-abled Hassan Ahmad is Pakistan’s first deaf blogger and vlogger. The 23-year-old man is a Rawalpindi resident who works as a Graphic Designer for an IT firm in addition to gluing up with a PC and laptop.
Hassan maintains a blog on Facebook and Instagram, as well as vlogs on YouTube and the other two platforms. He uses social media platforms to promote the deaf community by posting pictures of his everyday life. He uses the internet to share his interests by posting videos and blogs about his field.
Hassan Ahmad is a very inspiring person who can influence people with his differently-abled skills and passion for pursuing a career in his favorite field while working for the deaf community through his content.
- Adnan – Motorcyclist
Adnan Naseem is Pakistan’s youngest deaf motorcyclist to tour across Pakistan on his Bike. He is a young 24-year old passionate rider from Kashmir. He says that his interest lies in traveling on his motorcycle through different cities of Pakistan.
His main motto is to educate and inspire young souls to never give up on their dreams and goals, despite any disabilities. Nothing can come between you and your ambitions. Riding across deserts and mountains, Adnan is surely here to conquer the world on his motorbike!
Lastly, you will agree with me, differently-abled people have superpowers. They deserve recognition and equal opportunities.
The author Kashaf Alvi is Pakistan’s first differently-abled Certified Microsoft Associate, Deaf Author, columnist, short film Script-writer and deaf activist. You can reach out to him at [email protected]