There’s a saying that money makes the world go round. As much as anyone will want to believe that money isn’t important, it is. And there are a lot of people who suffer because of the lack of financial stability. These groups of people include deaf people.

Developing countries experience slow economic growth, and some communities get more opportunities than others. But, religion has been the backbone of creating a proper societal structure since the beginning. 

Keep reading to learn more about the role of religion for deaf people in developing countries, and how it contributes to financial empowerment. 

The Benefits of Faith in the Deaf Community

Faith has been an enriching addition to the deaf community. Access improved over the years, allowing the deaf community to practice a religion. Through religion, deaf people can embrace and shape their identity by understanding that God(s) accept them for who they are. 

Religion also gives deaf people a stronger sense of community. There are deaf churches where they can worship together or go to hearing churches to be part of the larger part of society. By practicing organized religion, deaf people lead a more pious and meaningful life. 

Religion in the Developing World

The developing world faces issues like access to quality education, welfare programs, employment, and corruption. The most vulnerable people in these countries are deaf people. They can experience a lack of basic needs and services because of the inaccessibility of unstable institutions.

In some nations, especially in Asia, the deaf community lives on the fringes of society. Some groups believe they are cursed with their characteristics and should be left alone or at the lowest class of society. However, religion shows a more promising outlook on the view of deaf people. 

Faith as a Societal Structure

As the empires expanded in previous centuries for economic development, religion played a role in keeping up with the changes. What was known as “Commerce and Christianity” was using religion to commit human rights violations against the most vulnerable for financial gain.

This continuation of using religion in the name of economic development occurred when the British government constructed a railway in India to support cotton production for England. It also entailed more widespread Christianity and evangelizing remote parts of India. The goal of these religious movements, combined with economic endeavors happened in Europe and the United States to modernize and promote more civilized societies.

Money Mindset in Religious Communities

Does religion have any profound effects on the economy? These are separate entities, but according to research presented by the University of Washington, religion positively impacts financial decisions. Because religion has a standard set of social values, highly religious people tend to be more ethical. 

These ethics contribute to the economy in the form of better decision-making. It entails less risk with investments, allocating resources for welfare programs, infrastructure, and more. Religion develops a strong work ethic and cultivates a thriving economy. 

Economic Issues in the Developing World

Several components go into explaining economic issues in the developing world. Corruption, inflated currencies, and lack of job opportunities, education, and assistance programs can lead to long-term economic disparities. 

This economic disparity isn’t black and white. There are grey areas. Some are still happy people with very little because they have a positive mindset or follow a religion like Buddhism that allows them to appreciate having less. However, this isn’t always the case for the deaf community. 

Deaf Awareness in Developing Countries

According to The Conversation, deaf communities suffer economic disparities, especially in Africa and Asia. In developing countries that lack the infrastructure and have a low GDP, this is detrimental for a deaf person. And the need for more awareness is contributing to this. Awareness is a mindset necessary to help deaf communities. If more powerful people aren’t aware of the economic disparities for the deaf community in the developing world, what can be done? 

Awareness also promotes resources, and that is what deaf communities around the world need. Putting a value on them as humans is outlined in a document, “The Human Declaration of Rights” as presented by the United Nations. Instead of the deaf being treated as second-class citizens or invisible, they should be equal in developing nations.

Religions Organizations for Financial Needs

The deaf community is some of the most unprivileged people in parts of the developing world. Fortunately, there are religion-based organizations to help empower those who lack the resources. Religion is the base of organizations like the Red Cross and other missionaries that go to developing countries to evangelize and help vulnerable communities. It has saved these communities by bringing purpose to them in unimaginable ways. There is also the National Deaf Society, Christian Missionaries for the Deaf, and many others serving deaf communities, notably in Southeast Asia and Africa. 

These organizations promote education and employment opportunities by partnering with the local governments in these countries to strengthen the response to the deaf communities. The bigger part is the emphasis on human rights, which is the foundation of creating empowerment and independence for deaf people. 

To learn more about how religion encompasses all areas of life for deaf people, visit, https://www.unspokenasl.com/

Thumbnail Photo Credit to: BernardoTe is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.