Hope For Deaf People Struggling With Mask-Wearing During The Pandemic

See-through solution offers hope for deaf people struggling with mask-wearing during the pandemic

- Eugene Yiga

The face mask, a necessary accessory to survive the pandemic, presents a challenge for the hearing impaired, as it prevents them from reading lips or facial expressions. Seeing first-hand how deaf people in South Africa struggle to communicate in schools and other public spaces, Thando Mtsweni began researching transparent masks, eventually founding The Visual Mask, which has three designs.

The first and most popular is the original design of a transparent mask with black lining around the mask and black ear strings with a black valve. The second design is a beverage mask, which has a zip and allows people to drink while wearing the mask. The third is a branded option for organisations to brand these masks with the company logo or scriptures for religious organisations.