Republic of Mozambique

30 million

90,000

Portuguese

The number of established languages listed in Ethnologue is 44. Some of these are:

• Barwe
• Chopi
• Chuwabu
• Dema
• Kokola
• Koti
• Kunda
• Lolo
• Lomwe
• Maindo
• Makonde
• Makwe
• Sena
• Tewe
• Tsonga
• Tswa
• Yao

Mozambican Sign Language (Língua de Sinais Moçambicana, LSM).

There are three deaf schools in two cities in Mozambique (Maputo and Nampula), although information regarding their names and locations are not available. According to the WFD report (2008), the oral method and Total Communication are used in these schools. DeafNET reported in 2014 that three teachers from a deaf school in Mozambique were offered training for the Red Star method (which focuses on the teaching a written language through sign language). In 2015, AISA (American International School of Mozambique) mentioned its partnership with a “School for the Deaf” in Mozambique. According to them, this school was founded in 1988 as part of the government’s efforts to provide an education to deaf or hard-of-hearing children. At the time of the partnership, the school had 105 students ranging from pre-school to grade 7. After grade 7, students seem to attend a mainstream school, although the level of deaf education in Mozambique is generally low and the majority of deaf people lack formal education beyond grade 6.

Mozambican Sign Language was formally recognized as an indigenous language in 2005. It is used in three main cities (Maputo, Beira, and Nampula). A Bible translation is being planned.

There is reported to be some dialectal variation but this is not further documented. Apparently there is no influence from American Sign Language or Portuguese Sign Language despite the colonial history.

• The Association of the Deaf in Mozambique (ASUMO) established in 1999
• The Associação dos Jovens Surdos de Moçambique (Ajosmo), established in 2015
• ADEMO (Association of Disabled People in Mozambique)

There is no official interpreting qualification. There are only a few voluntary interpreters and they work mainly for churches and not for the deaf organisation or community.

DeafNET Annual Report 2014: https://www.deafnet.org/wp content/uploads/2014/11/DeafNET-2014-Annual-Report.pdf  

World Federation of the Deaf and Swedish National Association of the Deaf. (2008) Global Survey Report. WFD Regional Secretariat for Southern and Eastern Africa (WFD RSESA)  

Michiko Kaneko