ConnectHear | Mobile for Development
The GSMA Innovation Fund ConnectHear

ConnectHear

Pakistan | Digital Inclusion, Humanitarian

The company

ConnectHear is a social startup led by aspiring youth working for sign language accessibility and deaf inclusion in Pakistan.

The problem

ConnectHear targets at-risk individuals with hearing impairments in Pakistan, where 1.35 million people with disabling hearing loss face communication barriers during disasters. With 27 million displaced since 2008 and no existing solutions for this demographic, the lack of accessible information significantly worsens their vulnerability.

GSMA project

In November 2024, ConnectHear received a GSMA grant to develop its AI technology to provide online sign language interpretation and AI-generated alerts for 1.35 million at-risk individuals with hearing impairments in disaster-prone areas. Using mobile technology, it empowers marginalised communities by enabling proactive crisis preparedness rather than reactive responses transactions of 1,760 members of informal savings groups in five Rwandan refugee camps.

Co-founders

A man with glasses and a beard is sitting at a white table, smiling. He is wearing a green shirt and has his hands clasped. The background features a blurred office environment with a bookshelf, books, and plants. Ceiling lights illuminate the space.

Arhum Ishtiaq, CTO/Co-founder

A woman with long brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing a maroon blazer over a white top and a lanyard with the word "SPEAKER" visible on a badge. The background is plain white.

Azima Dhanjee, CEO/Co-founder

A message from the co-founders
“ConnectHear has been at the forefront of assistive technology for Deaf in the region for almost a decade. This partnership with the GSMA allows us to ensure increased reliability and availability of our AI-powered products and services in areas and for people that are in most need during disaster scenarios. We are thankful to our partners and look forward to a successful delivery of this first-of-its-kind project.” – Arhum

 

“Our partnership with the GSMA aligns with ConnectHear’s mission to build a truly inclusive and accessible Pakistan. Over the past seven years, we’ve supported over 100,000 Deaf individuals across the country. Now, this collaboration allows us to reach more people in underserved areas by overcoming internet limitations, while also enhancing the quality of interpretation services nationwide. Together, we are ensuring that those most in need, especially during emergencies, have access to reliable communication—driving our vision forward and positioning Pakistan as a leader in disability inclusion.” – Azima
Team | 11 - 50 employees

A diverse group of thirteen people, dressed in professional attire, pose happily at a career event. They stand in front of a backdrop with logos and the text “Access. Ability. Careers.” Some make a peace sign with their hands. The atmosphere is cheerful and celebratory.

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The GSMA Innovation Fund for Humanitarian Challenges
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