Professor Michael Ndurumo Named 2025 United Nations in Kenya Person of the Year

The United Nations in Kenya has named Professor Michael Ndurumo, the first deaf Professor in East Africa and founder of the Africa Institute of Deaf Studies and Research, as the 2025 United Nations Person of the Year.

The announcement was made during celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, commemorating eight decades of cooperation for peace, sustainable development and human rights.

Professor Ndurumo was recognised for his extraordinary contribution to disability rights, inclusive education and the empowerment of persons with disabilities in Kenya and across the region.

Born in a family of eleven, Professor Ndurumo lost his hearing at the age of eight after contracting meningitis in 1960. At the time, Kenya had no established sign language. To communicate with his father, he wrote messages in notebooks, a practice that would later inspire his lifelong pursuit to give a voice to the deaf community.

After earning a scholarship to study in the United States, Professor Ndurumo immersed himself in sign language and education. On returning to Kenya, he set out to develop what would become the Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), now recognised as one of the country’s three national languages. His pioneering work has transformed how people with hearing impairments learn, communicate and participate in public life.

Often referred to as the Father of Sign Language in Kenya, Professor Ndurumo also drafted the law requiring all television stations to include sign language interpretation during news broadcasts. His leadership was instrumental in shaping the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003 and its 2025 amendment, as well as the inclusion of Kenyan Sign Language in the 2010 Constitution.

Over the years, he has trained more than 500 teachers and mentored countless students. Through the Africa Institute of Deaf Studies and Research, he continues to advance education, interpretation and research in disability inclusion across Africa.

Receiving the award at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Professor Ndurumo described the recognition as a shared honour. “What began as a modest effort to create a tool for communication evolved into a national achievement. Today, Kenyan Sign Language stands as a symbol of unity and belonging,” he said.

What began as a modest effort to create a tool for communication evolved into a national achievement. Today, Kenyan Sign Language stands as a symbol of unity and belonging.

He expressed hope for a future where accessibility is standard practice. “I dream of a Kenya and an Africa where every school welcomes learners with disabilities with the right tools and attitudes, and where workplaces measure ability, not disability.”
 

Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, praised Professor Ndurumo’s life as one of courage and conviction. “He turned silence into a language and isolation into inclusion. He has given voice to millions who were once unheard,” she said.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, Dr Stephen Jackson, commended Professor Ndurumo’s lifelong work as a reflection of the Sustainable Development Goals in action. “His life reminds us that inclusion is not charity, it is justice,” Dr Jackson said. “He took the silence life imposed on him and transformed it into a language that empowers others to learn, to work and to belong.”

Dr Korir Sing’oei, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, congratulated Professor Ndurumo, describing him as “an inspiration to generations of Kenyans”. He added, “Professor Ndurumo’s journey reflects the very essence of resilience and purpose. His work demonstrates how one individual’s vision can redefine equality, inclusion and dignity for an entire nation.”

 

The Hifadhi Farmers’ Cooperative Society Group was recognised as the runner-up for its innovative beekeeping and forest conservation efforts in Kenya’s Eburu Forest. The group’s use of traditional log hives has helped restore ecosystems while providing sustainable livelihoods.

Each year, the United Nations in Kenya Person of the Year Award honours individuals or institutions whose achievements advance the Sustainable Development Goals and embody the spirit of inclusion, justice and sustainability.

Professor Ndurumo’s legacy stands as a testament to the power of resilience and vision. From a child who once communicated through written notes to a scholar who gave language to millions, his journey reflects the best of humanity, a life devoted to making inclusion a reality for all.