On International Day of Sign Languages, Wasel Expands Emergency Access for Persons with Disabilities
On International Day of Sign Languages, Wasel Helps Persons with Disabilities Access Emergency Services
For people with hearing or speech disabilities, contacting emergency services by phone can present a major challenge. To address this barrier, Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) established the National Relay Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the first center of its kind in the Arab region and Africa.
Observed annually on September 23, the International Day of Sign Languages highlights the importance of ensuring that everyone can communicate and access essential services when needed. Through the National Relay Center, persons with disabilities can connect directly with emergency and essential service providers without relying on family members or other intermediaries.
The Center operates under the National Academy of Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities (NAID) through an upgraded version of the Wasel mobile application. The app enables users with hearing or speech disabilities to communicate with emergency services through video calls.
Once a user opens the application, a trained communication assistant joins the call and facilitates real-time communication. The assistant conveys the emergency operator’s message to the user through sign language and communicates the user’s signed responses verbally to the operator.
The service can be used to contact several essential services, including ambulance services, police, civil protection, and electricity complaint lines, helping users communicate their needs during emergency situations.
Wasel is designed to make access to emergency assistance more inclusive by removing communication barriers faced by people with hearing or speech disabilities. On the International Day of Sign Languages, MCIT is encouraging greater awareness of the application and urging people to share information about the service with anyone who may benefit from it.
NAID was launched in 2018 as a presidential initiative aimed at supporting the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Academy provides capacity-building programs, supports assistive technology innovators, and promotes higher education opportunities for persons with disabilities.
It also seeks to become a regional hub for innovation, research, and entrepreneurship in assistive technology.
The Wasel application is available for download on Android and iOS devices.