History

Vzaimno Foundation was established in 2010, initially focusing on creating a website to deliver news in Bulgarian Sign Language. This initiative quickly evolved into Bulgaria's first internet television for the deaf community, highlighting the importance of sign language in news broadcasting.

Listen Up Foundation, founded in 2014, emerged as a pioneering advocacy NGO for the rights of deaf people. It has relentlessly worked to dismantle the outdated model of deaf care prevalent in the 80s and 90s. By fostering innovation and training a critical mass of deaf individuals, the Foundation has significantly contributed to developing Bulgarian Sign Language and the deaf community. Listen Up has quickly become an exemplary organization, earning accolades such as the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy award for digital sign language translation solutions (2016) and the Ministry of Economy award for social entrepreneurship (2017). Our continuous investment in modernizing and enhancing our services underscores our commitment to using technology to increase accessibility and equity for the deaf community.

The Active Deaf Youth Organisation (ADYO) started in 2017, around the first celebration of the International Week of the Deaf in Bulgaria. Officially becoming an association in 2019, ADYO actively champions the rights and interests of young deaf individuals, advocating for their involvement in public decision-making to better the deaf community.

In 2019, Vzaimno, Listen Up and ADYO, joined forces to prepare content and advocate for Bulgarian Sign Language Act a monumental achievement adopted on January 21, 2021. This Act marks a significant step towards empowering and including deaf people in public life in Bulgaria. Today, our united efforts focus on nurturing a modern, prosperous, thriving deaf community through empowerment, linguistics, education, and technology. Our current projects include developing digital training platforms, enhancing video sign translation applications for institutions, and operating a professional video center for producing sign language resources. Our partnerships with esteemed organizations like Campus X, Google, and Lufthansa, and academic collaborations with Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," Gallaudet University (USA) and Humboldt University (Germany), reflect our commitment to excellence and international exchange. We're also proud to work with offering internship and training opportunities in the U.S. for deaf sign language professionals and advocates.

Our collective efforts have significantly narrowed the gap for the deaf community in Bulgaria compared to developed nations. Vzaimno, Listen Up, and ADYO remain dedicated to the principle that the growth of deaf sciences and sign language requires the active participation and leadership of deaf individuals. We stand by our maxim: 'Nothing about us without us! Deaf lead!'.