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PHOTO CAPTION: Vijaydas, age 20, deaf participant of our DeafKidz Goal! and Youth Leadership Training Programme in India.

A huge thank you to Radio 4 listeners and everyone who donated, shared and watched our ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 appeal, including the British Sign Language version. We are thrilled that our appeal raised over £11,000 towards our international programmes which is ensuring the safeguarding and protection of deaf children and young people worldwide. We would like to thank our presenter, poet and activist Raymond Antrobus, who shared Tayyaba’s story and has since joined our charity as an Ambassador.

The money raised is supporting innovative programmes like our ‘DeafKidz Goal!’ project, in partnership with local NGO Slum Soccer in India, which has launched a Youth Leadership Training Programme which is building the confidence of deaf youth and teaching them skills in leadership, communication and teamwork.

Vijaydas, age 20, joined DeafKidz Goal! after learning of these community football sessions aimed at deaf youth in 2020. Noticing his determination to learn and progress, the coaches selected Vijaydas for the Youth Leadership Training Programme held in Nagpur in late 2021, delivered in Indian Sign Language by deaf coaches, alongside 19 deaf participants. During the training he impressed everyone with his enthusiasm in all activities and his eagerness to learn various leadership concepts. By the end of the training, it was clear from his confidence that Vijaydas was emerging as a strong youth leader who was ready to lead and guide deaf children in his community. Upon returning home, he encouraged his deaf brothers, as well as other deaf children from his community to join DeafKidz Goal!, sharing the benefits of attending these football sessions.

Your donations are making a huge difference to deaf youth like Vijaydas. Thank you. To find out more about our work, visit our