Sound Waves Foundation was born out of the need and want to celebrate differences.
Deafness, to us, is not disability, it is deafability.
As two mums of deaf kids, we’ve each been on an incredible journey of learning, challenges, and growth, embracing understanding and acceptance along the way. Fuelled by our experiences and a passion for equality, we created Sound Waves Foundation to shake things up—raising deaf awareness, accessibility, and inclusion through fresh ideas and creativity!
Silvie is mum to four children and a dog. Her oldest two children are profoundly deaf, both born hearing, Elyana lost all her hearing at two and half and Noah at six years old. Now they are music playing, surf riding, manga drawing cochlear implant wearers.
Nicola has two children, the youngest was born with mixed hearing loss.
It has led to an evolving diagnosis,
not to mention - grommets, more grommets and a variety of hearing devices (and school settings!)
tried and tested.
We’re on a mission to empower all deaf children and young adults to reach their full potential in education and life, launching them into a future full of endless possibilities. We reject labels, barriers, and limitations—instead, we believe in ambition, experiences, and growth.
we are
Silvie and Nicola
There are diverse groups that deaf people associate themselves with and are part of. They are diverse in culture, beliefs and means of communication.
Some people use Sign Language, others use speech with clever tech and/or laser-eyed Lip Reading skills. Some people use a combination or even all of the above, depending on what suits best in the given situation. You might say they are some kind of communication chameleon experts!
By no means do we claim that one is better than the other. However, the work and campaigns of Sound Waves Foundation will focus on speech and caption as the primary means of communication where we feel we can make a difference.
Every one of us is different in some way, but for those of us who are more different, we have to put more effort into convincing the less different that we can do the same thing they can, just differently.
Marlee Matlin – Deaf Actress, Author, Activist
Our Funders and Partners
