Imagine a world without sound and the frustration of trying to express what you feel or need to others. Many deaf people feel one of their biggest difficulties is the hearing culture that treats them as though they are handicapped, people to be pitied or changed.
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| Contestant No 11 displays here beautiful dress. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
Deaf people have faced a lot of discrimination in the past, and still do today. This discrimination stems from ignorance of the Deaf culture and the beautiful language that flows through it. Hearing people tend to only think of deafness as a simple disability; the inability to hear, and that their only means to communicate is flailing your hands around at people.
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| Contestant no 13 poses after strutting the run way. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
The lack of knowledge and education on Sign language has caused most of the hearing community to space themselves from the Deaf. It's natural for people to do this when they don't understand what they're trying to keep away from. Due to people not knowing too much about the language, obviously people who rely on Sign for communication have trouble with things that people with an oral language don't.
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| Contestant no 12 strikes a pose. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
The deaf community in Kenya has been discriminated and left out in matters of development in the society for the longest time; their voice and existence of this group has been ignored.
The Deaf continue to be denied access to huge sections of the society.
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| Mr & Mrs Deaf 2017 Kiambu county contestants. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
The necessity to raise awareness that disability is not inability; hence thus organisers of the first Mr & Miss 2017 Kiambu County pageant a platform by which to advocate for deaf peoples rights under the theme "Celebrating Deaf Culture".
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| This in sign language means applauding. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
In traditional Africans settings deaf people were more often than not associated with being demon-possessed because some of them couldn't speak. Dogmatic religion at that time wasn’t kind to Deaf people.
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| Sign language interpreter Emmah took time to make sure the deaf comunity communications needs were met. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
Deaf people living in Kenya are a silent minority. The majority is made up of those who can hear. For Deaf people, living in a world where one’s language is known by few and understood by even fewer influences how Deaf people view themselves.
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| You cannot make this up, conversations that inspire so much attention. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
There are an estimated 600,000 deaf community in Kenya, and these beauty pageant will roll out in all 47 counties of Kenya in a bid to create awareness.
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| Contestant No 12 took time to answer the tough question asked by the judges. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| I don't know about you but this conversation was getting interesting Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Contestant No 11 answering the tough questions posed by the judges. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| The judges were so attentive to details. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Jared Getanda CEO Sign Language TV giving his remarks during the Mr & Mrs Deaf 2017 Kiambu. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Contestant no 2 looking all dapper. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| Contestant no 5 means business Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| This was one deep conversation that Mc Lal Daggy (L) was having you can tell from the sign language interpretor (R). Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| The selfie pose never fades away even in 2017. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Africa's 1st deaf Mc Lil Daggy representing with Nimu the poet. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| All smiles. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| Some smiles to lighten up the event. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Deejay Hearty on the 1's and 2's he kept the crowd moving. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| Poet Nimu Nash Mugo hanging out with fellow organiser Faridah during the Mr & Mrs Deaf 2017 Kiambu County edition. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| An elated Nathaniel when he was declared Mr. Deaf 2017 Kiambu County edition winner at the beauty pageant. Photo Wachira Njenge |
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| Mr Deaf 2017 Kiambu County Nathaniel strikes a pose with Africa's first deaf MC Lal Daggy. Photo || Wachira Njenge |
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| Mrs Deaf 2017 Kiambu County being crowned the winner. Photo||Wachira Njenge |
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| All smiles Mr & Mrs Deaf 2017 winners Nathaniel and Nancy after been crowned the winners. Photo Wachira Njenge |
Deaf individuals were hidden by family members, locked in asylums, or forced to try speaking, even though they couldn’t hear themselves.
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| Shot within a shot |
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| A shot within a shot |
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| Mr Deaf 2017 Kiambu County 2nd Runners Up pose with Thika based Gospel artist Kevin Musungu aka Mr Kev. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| Mr & Miss Deaf 2017,1st & 2nd runners up Kiambu County contestants pose for a group photo with the pageant contestants. Photo|| Wachira Njenge |
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| Business lady cum politician Shiro with a friend couldn't hide there joy. Photo||Wachira Njenge |
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