Deaf mother and child at an emergency camp in Haiti

International Deaf Emergency

Deaf people are 4x more likely to die in disasters.^[source]

We're changing that. IDE provides humanitarian protection and assistance for deaf communities worldwide — before, during, and after disasters.

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160+

Houses Built

400+

People Trained

Countries

18+

Organizations Created

The Problem

Emergency systems worldwide are built for hearing people. When disaster strikes, deaf communities are left behind.

Can't hear emergency sirens

Audio-based warnings — sirens, loudspeakers, radio — are completely inaccessible to deaf people.

Can't call 911 by voice

Over 60% of the US and nearly 100% of the developing world has no text-based emergency calling.

Shelters have no interpreters

Evacuation shelters operate on audio-only announcements. No sign language, no visual alerts, for days.

80% live in developing countries

466 million people have disabling hearing loss. Most live where accessible emergency infrastructure doesn't exist.

Relief. Build. Empower.

IDE works across the full disaster cycle — from immediate response to long-term recovery and capacity building.

Relief

Emergency response in disaster zones. Bridging the communication gap between deaf communities and humanitarian responders.

Leveque deaf village built by IDE in Haiti with 160+ houses

Build

Housing, infrastructure, and economic empowerment. Creating sustainable livelihoods for deaf communities recovering from disasters.

Disaster preparedness training with deaf community members in Haiti

Empower

Training national deaf organizations, UNCRPD advocacy, and leadership development. Building capacity that lasts beyond any single crisis.

Our Work in Action

From emergency response to sustainable communities — see the impact of Relief, Build, and Empower across Haiti, Nepal, and beyond.

IDE team overlooking the deaf village built in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake

160+ houses built for deaf families, Haiti

Workers constructing houses for deaf communities in Haiti

Building homes after the earthquake

Deaf workers building a rooftop in Haiti

Deaf-led construction crews at work

IDE team meeting with deaf refugees at camps in Nepal after the earthquake

Relief assessment, Nepal earthquake

Deaf construction workers trained and employed through IDE's empowerment program in Haiti

Deaf workers trained in construction, Haiti

Disaster preparedness training

“Deaf people continue to die in disasters not because of their deafness but because of society's failure to communicate with them.”
— World Federation of the Deaf, 2023

Your donation saves deaf lives.

$25 provides an emergency communication kit for a deaf family. $100 funds disaster preparedness training for an entire community.

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501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible · UN Consultative Status · World Federation of the Deaf Member · 15+ Years of Impact

Deaf people are 4x more likely to die in disasters.[source]