Sign Language People Organization

The Sign Language People Organization (SLaPO) is an organization based in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, founded by Peter Sidikie Gbla in 2019. It focuses on promoting special deaf education, providing vocational training, advocating for deaf rights, and fostering inclusion within the deaf community.

SLaPO's Key Objectives

1. Promote Special Deaf Education – Ensuring access to quality education for the deaf.
2. Vocational Training – Providing skills training to enhance employment opportunities for deaf individuals.
3. Advocacy for Deaf Rights – Fighting for equal rights, access to services, and social inclusion.
4. Support & Resources for the Deaf – Offering assistance in education, employment, and healthcare.
5. Promoting Sign Language Interpreters – Expanding accessibility by training and deploying interpreters.
6. Community Engagement & Inclusion – Raising awareness and fostering relationships between the deaf and hearing communities.
7. Agricultural & Industry Projects – Creating job opportunities for deaf individuals.

SLaPO Leadership & Key Members

• CEO/Executive Director – Peter Sidikie Gbla
• Executive Secretary – Abigail Finda Rogers
• Finance Manager – Michael Sidney Turay
• Finance Assistant – Alex Junior Bangura
• Project Manager – Sheik Ahmed Sesay
• Sign Language Interpreter – Abib Sinneh Sankoh
• Data Analyst – Martin Abdul Jalloh
• Other roles include volunteers, executive assistants, and communication officers.

SLaPO's Strategies & Activities

• Partnerships with educational institutions to improve deaf education.
• Advocacy campaigns to promote the rights of the deaf community.
• Community outreach programs for awareness and inclusion.
• Workshops & training for parents of deaf children to help them communicate better.
• Fundraising & project proposals for financial sustainability.
• Efforts to combat Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) & drug abuse (‘Kush’) within the deaf community.

Recent & Ongoing Initiatives

• ‘Inclusion for All: A Deaf Community Initiative’ – Focuses on education, vocational training, and advocacy.
• Grant Applications – SLaPO is applying for Innovation Grants and Entrepreneurship Grants to support new communication tools and business opportunities for the deaf.
• Collaboration with National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) – Engaging with Dr. Vandy Konneh for partnerships and opportunities.
• Support for Deaf Students – Assisting final-year students at University of Makeni in completing their dissertations.

Contact & Partnerships

SLPO collaborates with various organizations, including:

• Ministry of Social Welfare (MOSW)
• National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD)
• Sierra Leone National Association for the Deaf (SLNAD)
• Sierra Leone Association for the Deaf (SLAD)
• Polio Person Development Association (POPDA)
• Women's Action for Human Dignity (WAHD)
• Bombali Deaf Development Association (BDDA)
• St. Joseph's School for the Hearing Impaired

SLaPO continues to push for an inclusive society where deaf individuals can thrive in education, employment, and social life.