Rahma Shanzour

Yemen — In a country exhausted by war and burdened with endless challenges, human stories emerge to create sparks of hope amid the darkness. Among these stories shines the journey of Eman Al-Qudsi, the Yemeni woman who transformed a personal experience with sign language inside her home into a public mission that transcended walls and boundaries.

At 37 years old, born in Taiz governorate, Eman Al-Qudsi is a sign language interpreter, trainer, and activist in the field of disability rights. She served as Secretary-General of the Ambition Association for the Deaf between 2022 and 2024, contributing to awareness and training programs aimed at integrating deaf individuals into society and ensuring their basic rights.

But behind this professional profile lies a deeply human story that began inside a small home—where the inability to communicate became the beginning of a new path, one that led Eman Al-Qudsi to become the voice of those without a voice, and a bridge between two worlds separated by silence.

The Beginning at Home

Eman Al-Qudsi’s journey with sign language did not begin in a training course or a classroom, but within the walls of her modest home in Taiz. She found herself facing an unexpected challenge: her two sisters, both deaf, suffered from a double isolation—one caused by disability, and another by the family’s inability to communicate with them.

She recalls, “The idea of integrating into the world of persons with disabilities—especially the deaf—started from my own family. I have two sisters with hearing impairment: the elder, Fatima, and the younger, Aman. That’s where I began interacting with them, following their studies, and helping them with daily life.”

She adds, “At first it was just helping with schoolwork, but after university my involvement grew. We were keen to ensure they received proper education in school and university because, as a family, we value education.”

With time, Eman realized that change must extend beyond her home—that the deaf needed broader societal support to fully integrate into academic and social life. “I reached a point where I became more and more involved with the deaf community. I began giving sign language trainings in various courses, and along the way received a certificate from the Arab Federation of the Deaf confirming me as a certified regional sign language interpreter.”

She continues, “My goal was to build bridges between the deaf and the hearing community, giving them the opportunity to express themselves freely—in classrooms and in everyday life.”

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When Signs Speak

Where sound is replaced by gesture, Eman found her purpose among a group long kept in the shadows.

She says, “In the beginning, it was a completely new world for me. But over time I began to understand how this community thinks, what they need, and how to convey their voices to the outside world.”

She adds, “I realized they don’t just need someone to translate their language—they need someone to represent them, to communicate their needs to a society that cannot communicate with them.”

As Yemen’s war intensified and suffering deepened, Eman discovered that the needs of deaf individuals went far beyond simple communication:
“I discovered they have abilities, talents, and behaviors that deserve to be shown to society. They are not a marginal group—they are an essential part of society, and people must get to know them.”

Thus began her deeper involvement with the Ambition Association for the Deaf, where she held multiple roles, from Executive Secretary to Secretary-General, and later Acting President of the association. For Eman, these titles were merely tools to achieve a larger goal: empowering deaf individuals to participate fully in public life.

She explains, “We began training interpreters and teachers to make them a bridge between the deaf and society. Over time, we saw real results—graduates with hearing disabilities, and rising female talents who had been hidden behind the wall of silence.”
Eman believes sign language is not merely a method of communication, but a gateway to inclusion and awareness.

 

A Woman in a Difficult Field

In a society that still limits women’s roles, Eman Al-Qudsi faced a double challenge: proving herself as a woman and breaking into a silent world that does not easily welcome outsiders.

She says, “Working in this field as a woman was not easy. Society does not readily accept women working in such a sensitive area. You must prove yourself first as a communicator, then as a leader, and finally as a woman who can be trusted.”

But the biggest challenge came not from society, but from the deaf community itself:
“The deaf do not give their trust easily, especially to someone from outside their world. It took great effort and patience to earn their confidence—both as individuals and as an association serving them. I made sure they saw me as a partner, not just a manager or interpreter.”

Another major challenge was the difficult economic situation in Yemen. War disrupted salaries and halted support for many institutions.

She says, “The financial situation was extremely hard. We continued working as volunteers despite the lack of resources. Even interpreters and staff agreed to work without pay because they believed in the mission.”

Despite these hardships, Eman maintained her belief that change was possible:
“After years of war, we began noticing positive change. Some interpreters returned to work, and society began paying more attention to the deaf. We haven’t reached an ideal stage yet, but we have taken meaningful steps forward.”

Opening University Doors to Deaf Students

One of Eman Al-Qudsi’s greatest achievements, and the closest to her heart, was opening access to higher education for deaf youth—something that private and public universities had never offered before.

She explains, “We managed, through collective efforts, to open special classrooms for the deaf in universities, and to coordinate with institutions such as the National University and Taiz University, in addition to working with the Computer Center, which played a major role in supporting the students.”

Their efforts extended beyond classrooms to building a full support network—securing funding for tuition, transportation, and interpreter salaries. Cooperation with the Fund for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled was crucial in sustaining this initiative.

Eman also worked to include deaf individuals in training and vocational programs across the governorate:
“We partnered with centers and civil society organizations to include two or three deaf participants in every training course.”

The impact was not only educational but social. Communities began seeing deaf individuals up close, recognizing their capabilities. For the first time, deaf leaders emerged—launching their own initiatives and starting small businesses in fields such as tailoring and incense production.

“When I saw the deaf opening their own projects and working in public institutions, I felt the goal had been achieved. They were no longer isolated—they became a living part of society, known and recognized by everyone