International Sign Language Day: The struggles of a skilled artisan who is deaf

Correspondence from the Western Region

In a small workshop in the heart of Tarkwa, the sound of hammering metal fills the air as Kofi Eponsu, a deaf blacksmith, meticulously shapes tools and repairs equipment. For the past 30 years, Kofi has dedicated himself to his craft, proving that disability is no barrier to mastering a trade.

Growing up, his hearing siblings could easily engage with the world around them, but for Kofi, communication was a daily struggle, because he was the only child born deaf among his parents’ six children.

Speaking through a sign language interpreter, Kofi Eponsu told GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent, Thomas Tetteh, that he came to Tarkwa with his mother from Accra and he decided to stay there in order to make ends meet.

Kofi sees his job as a gift from God, because he didn’t learn it from anyone, neither did he go to school to learn.

However, his journey has not been without its challenges, especially when it comes to communicating with his clients. While he quickly learned the art of blacksmithing, interactions with clients became a persistent challenge.

Despite his remarkable skills, Kofi’s clients’ inability to understand the sign language which is the language he understands, often forces him to rely on others for assistance. He usually seeks the help of someone fluent in sign language who can act as his voice, interpreting the requests of his clients.

This dependency, however, extends beyond basic communication. Negotiating prices for his services poses another significant hurdle. While our conversation was ongoing, a client came in with his business. Kofi has resorted to writing on paper to communicate the prices, but even this method has its drawbacks.

Watch Kofi's full interview on GhanaWeb Special below to see how he goes about his business: