Zain Strengthens Presence of Kuwaiti Sign Language in Partnership with Deaf Club

Zain Kuwait announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf, coinciding with the International Day of Sign Languages and the International Week of the Deaf, to open a new chapter in its journey toward enhancing inclusion, accessibility, and effective communication with persons with disabilities in Kuwait.

The memorandum was signed at Zain’s headquarters in Shuwaikh, in the presence of Waleed Al-Kheshni, Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Relations and Institutional Affairs, and Khaled Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf. This partnership establishes a broad framework for cooperation in the areas of accessibility, training, awareness, digital services, community engagement, youth initiatives, and professional development for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Kuwait.

This agreement reflects Zain’s approach to translating inclusion principles into tangible experiences that facilitate communication, expand access to services, and empower persons with disabilities to participate independently. This step aligns with Zain Group’s WE ABLE 2030 vision and its corporate sustainability strategy, which aims to embed inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities across all aspects of the company’s operations, in line with its purpose-driven strategy.

Commenting on the partnership, Waleed Al-Kheshni said, “Sign language goes beyond being merely a means of communication; it signifies independence, confidence, participation, and the ability to connect with the world around us. This partnership allows us to listen more closely to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and work together to remove barriers from experiences that matter to them.”

Al-Kheshni added, “At Zain, we believe that inclusion gains its true meaning when it is an integral part of how we serve our customers, develop our employees, design our digital experiences, and engage with our community. These objectives are guided by our corporate purpose of ‘Connecting for a Better Life,’ aiming to make this connection accessible to all. Through our collaboration with the Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf, we aspire to translate this commitment into practical solutions that enhance independence, expand opportunities, and foster participation.”

Khaled Al-Mutairi, commenting on the partnership, said, “Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals possess capabilities, expertise, and qualifications that enable them to contribute effectively to society and the labor market. Therefore, we look forward to this partnership with Zain and to seeing more such purposeful collaborations with private sector institutions, which will open broader opportunities for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to showcase their potential and achieve their aspirations.”

This partnership centers on a wide range of initiatives designed by Zain to provide a more accessible, inclusive, and independent experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. These initiatives focus on enhancing communication through Zain’s field and digital channels, facilitating access to services, raising employee awareness and confidence, and providing practical solutions that help remove communication barriers.

In a first-of-its-kind move in the Kuwaiti telecommunications sector, Zain launched the first phase of its video remote interpreting service for deaf customers at its branches in The Avenues Mall and The Kuwait City Mall. This service directly connects them with certified sign language interpreters from the Kuwait Sports Club for the Deaf, who facilitate immediate communication between the customers and Zain staff.

The service enables deaf customers to conduct their branch visits independently, access services, understand offers and contracts, and make informed decisions without needing to rely on a third-party interpreter.

The initiative grants deaf customers greater independence, privacy, and confidence when using Zain’s services, while also providing a more accessible and inclusive experience within branches. It reflects Zain’s ongoing efforts to remove communication barriers and ensure its services are designed to meet the needs of all customers, with plans to expand the service rollout to additional branches in the near future.

Zain is also launching a digital library dedicated to Kuwaiti Sign Language, developed to enhance access to sign language through its field and digital channels, and to support communication between the deaf community and the staff and service providers who interact with them.

The library contains over 200 phrases organized across five categories, covering basics such as Arabic letters, numbers, colors, days, and months, as well as daily communication, the work environment, customer service interactions, digital products and services, and troubleshooting technical issues.

Designed as an open resource, the library’s benefits extend beyond Zain. It will support the company’s employees and customer service teams, while also assisting the broader community, including those in the telecommunications sector, in enhancing their knowledge of Kuwaiti Sign Language. The initiative aims to enable more inclusive and accessible communication experiences for Zain’s deaf customers and the deaf community in Kuwait at large.

As part of this partnership, Zain will also conduct training workshops for its employees on Kuwaiti Sign Language, covering staff in customer-facing roles as well as those in administrative positions, thereby fostering greater confidence and awareness across the organization.

In conjunction with International Sign Language Day and the International Week of the Deaf, Zain will incorporate sign language into all video content published on its official social media platforms from September 20 to 24, thereby expanding the reach of accessible communication through its digital channels.

The partnership will also offer tailored benefits to the Kuwaiti Sports Club for the Deaf. Zain will introduce special offers for more than 370 club members, announced via sign language on the Zain app and social media platforms, including a free one-month service offer for eligible Zain customers. The company also plans to host an event at the club’s headquarters to introduce members to the available offers and services.

Zain has also provided 5G Advanced internet connectivity at the club’s premises, serving hundreds of members who visit the facility daily and enabling them to benefit from advanced digital communication services over Zain, Kuwait’s most awarded network.

The memorandum of understanding establishes a continuous platform for exchanging expertise and ideas between both parties, contributing to the development of digital services, communication channels, and experiences for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. It also opens avenues for collaboration in developing awareness and educational content, community initiatives, youth programs, and pathways for empowerment, rehabilitation, and professional development.

Ongoing dialogue with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals themselves will be a central focus of this partnership, aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of their needs and ensuring that future initiatives respond to their actual experiences and priorities.

The new partnership extends Zain’s growing series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment, customer experience, technology, and society. Through its WE ABLE 2030 vision for disability inclusion and Zain’s corporate sustainability strategy, the company continues to expand its efforts in professional development, inclusive design, customer service, innovation, and building strategic partnerships with government entities, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.

Alongside its initiatives in inclusive employment, accessible technology, customer experience, and now Kuwaiti Sign Language, this partnership reflects Zain’s ongoing commitment to adopting a structured and measurable approach to enhancing the inclusion of people with disabilities. It also underscores the company’s ambition to continue playing a leading role, removing barriers across its ecosystem, and contributing to building a more accessible and inclusive Kuwait that enables everyone to connect, participate, and thrive.