BPKS currently has 918 speech impaired and 1007 hearing impaired members.

People with hearing and/or speech impairments face barriers in virtually every aspect of their daily lives. They face difficulties in communication with their family and community members and service providers. A lack of access to affordable hearing aids and speech therapy means that people with hearing and speech impairments are often not integrated into mainstream schools and are unable to develop communication systems that allow them to communicate with the majority of the community. There are only a few dedicated schools for people with hearing and speech impairments and these are located in urban areas. The cost of attendance at these schools is also prohibitive for most families of children with hearing and/or speech impairments. Limited schooling and other opportunities means that people with hearing and speech disabilities have limited employment and community participation opportunities.

BPKS helps people with speech and hearing impairments to overcome these barriers and lead more productive and independent lives.

Jahura Khatun
Jahura Khatun is an 8 year old girl who was born with a speech and hearing impairment. She lives in Buhuli village in Nandigram with her family, who are poor.
When BPKS started its PSID program in Nandigram, Jahura joined a grassroots Disabled Peoples’ Organization to Development (GDPOD) after her family was counseled by a PSID facilitator. BPKS referred to the Society for Assistance to Hearing Impaired Children (SAHIC) in Dhaka for a thorough medical assesment. The doctors advised her to use a hearing aid, which Nandigram PSID supplied free of cost. Her family was trained on how to help her use her hearing aid. Additionally, a BPKS staff member and therapy provider visited her home once a week to help her to learn to speak.
Jahura's speech improved day by day. Her family hope that she will eventually be able to speak well enough to attend the local school with the other village children.