Kirkuk’s Deaf And Mute Café: A safe haven in a silent world
Shafaq News/ In Kirkuk, near the oldcourthouse, the Café for the Deaf and Mute serves as a crucial gathering placefor Iraq’s hearing-impaired community. The first of its kind in the province,it attracts visitors from across the country, offering an environment wheresign language fosters connection and inclusion.
Unlike traditional cafés filled withconversation, this space is defined by the rhythmic clatter of domino tiles andthe soft tapping of teacups. Abdul Sattar Khudair, 31, a regular visitor, findssolace in the café. Married to a deaf woman, he struggled to secure hearingaids for their children. After years of personal and family hardships, hismarriage ended, and the café became a cornerstone of his daily life.
Limited Government Support andSocial Challenges
Despite the presence ofapproximately 13,000 individuals with disabilities in Kirkuk, including 1,000who are deaf and mute, official support remains scarce. Speaking with ShafaqNews Agency, Mohammad Hussein, a social researcher specializing in disabilityissues, highlights the lack of government initiatives to assist thisdemographic.
“The Café for the Deaf and Mute is arare and vital space for this community,” Hussein affirmed.
Many disabled individuals in Iraqface bullying and social exclusion, often leading them to withdraw from publiclife. The café provides a safe alternative, allowing visitors to buildconnections and find community support. Social researcher Abdul Karim Khalifasees the establishment as more than just a café—he describes it as a “livingmemory of Kirkuk,” uniting generations of deaf and mute individuals andpreserving a unique cultural space.
“It is one of the significant placesin the city’s history, and I visit from time to time to document the lives ofthose who gather here,” Khalifa told Shafaq News Agency.
Beyond providing social support, thecafé has become a cultural and religious center, particularly during the holymonth of Ramadan. the café’s owner Ahmed Fadil explains that visitors fromErbil, al-Sulaymaniyah, and Kirkuk gather here for collective prayers andtraditional games like ‘Siniya,’ making it a unique space for sharedexperiences.
“It’s an opportunity for them tobond and engage in religious activities,” Fadil noted.
One visitor, Mohammed Khaled,underscores the café’s unifying role, noting to Shafaq News that “sign languagebrings people together regardless of ethnicity or sect.”
Café worker Ahmed Abdul Jabbar, whois not hearing-impaired, has spent three years learning sign language tocommunicate with customers. The café sees a steady flow of visitors throughoutthe day, whether they come before work or during periods of unemployment,according to him, which reinforces its role as a crucial support hub ratherthan just a business.
