Qiu Haohai

 

Qiu Haohai works on his cartoons.[photo/china.org.cn]

Recommended by: Shenzhen Disabled Persons’ Federation

Deaflife, the first social platform for people with hearing disabilities in China, was created by two people with hearing disabilities, one of whom was Qiu Haohai.

Premier Li Keqiang meets with Qiu Haohai.[photo/china.org.cn]

Qiu lost his hearing when he was four years old. He found his spiritual support in art, and worked as a designer after graduation. “My colleagues found it troublesome to communicate with me with written words, so no one wanted to communicate with me,” said Qiu. “I felt lonely sitting by my desk in the office.”

Qiu had always wanted to do computer graphic cartoons, so he started to learn their secrets in 2007. In 2010, he created the image of “Iron Monkey” based on the stories of the Monkey King.

“I intended to set up a business on “Iron Monkey”, but no one wanted to invest in my project,” said Qiu.

Qiu made a short cartoon video called “Dream” which features a young man who does not give up on his dreams. In 2012, it was selected for the 3rd Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival.

Qiu Haohai and his partner at the launching ceremony of their product.[photo/china.org.cn]

The success of “Dream” encouraged Qiu to carry on with his dream. He started his own business with his friend Wei Chuangjun, who also has a hearing disability.

They wished to create a social platform to help people with hearing impairment integrate with society and easily communicate with others.

At first, Qiu’s family did not believe that he could succeed in his business, but he believed in his ideas.

In 2013, after winning a contest in Shenzhen, Deaflife got an investment of about 440,000 dollars and was officially launched at the fifth China Charity Fair.

Deaflife has a real-time translation function with an accuracy of 80 percent. It also offers news and information about offline activities.

Deaflife will add more useful functions to bring convenience to deaf people’s lives, including services in healthcare, legal matters, business communication, and other areas.

Deaflife aims to help the 30 million deaf people in China communicate with each other and integrate into society. It has a clear business model which is sustainable and free for others to use. Qiu Haohai and his Deaflife team have showcased the innovative spirit of people with disabilities in China.