Signs Media Kenya Limited

The company

Signs Media Kenya Limited provides real-time, on-demand access to sign language interpretation services.

Problem

Sign language interpreters play a crucial role in the lives of people with hearing impairments, helping them to communicate effectively and access services. In Kenya, there are only 500 sign language interpreters serving the needs of more than 260,000 people with hearing impairments, and they are primarily in urban areas. These services remain out of reach for low-income and rural populations.

The GSMA project

In July 2021, Signs Media received a GSMA grant to provide affordable, high[1]quality, virtual, on-demand sign language interpretation services to the hearing impaired through the assistALL mobile app. The grant was used to develop the assistALL mobile app into a final product for the market. The grant was also used for training for sign language interpreters on the app and acquiring users (sign language interpreters and persons with hearing impairments).

Outcomes

• The assistALL App is live on Safaricom’s M-PESA Super App

• More than 150 B2B customers were onboarded to the app, removing the barrier to serving deaf customers due to the absence of an on-demand communication tool.

Traction

As of March 2025, just over 12,000 users have accessed assistALL for sign language interpretation services, enabling them to connect with people and institutions such as banks, clinics and hospitals.