Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children

What Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children does

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children (جمعية أطفالنا للصّم) is a non-profit civil society organization founded in 1992 in Gaza City, State of Palestine, that serves as the primary reference and resource center for deafness for most centers, institutions, clinics, and hospitals operating in the Gaza Strip. The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of programs targeting children and adults with hearing disabilities and their families across the full lifecycle: a bilingual (Arabic and sign language) school covering Grades 1 through 9, a kindergarten using play-based learning, an early intervention program with individualized plans for newly diagnosed children, an audiology and speech therapy clinic, sign language training, vocational and technical training in crafts (carpentry, sewing, embroidery, pottery, ceramics, wood painting, rug weaving, and Arbish handicraft knotting), a community adult education center, a child protection unit, an inclusive education program, and an advocacy and mobilization program. The organization also operates a crafts production unit that markets handmade products online through crafts.atfaluna.net, and rents its facilities to external parties. As of the latest data, Atfaluna employs over 134 staff, more than 55% of whom are deaf persons themselves, serving thousands of beneficiaries annually.

The organization's revenue model is primarily donation-driven, with funding sourced from international donors and development cooperation agencies including the European Union, UNDP, UNRWA, Austrian Development Cooperation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Diakonia, DanChurchAid, Oxfam, ActionAid, ANERA, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Church of Scotland, HelpAge International, PIAS France, Al-Majd Foundation, OCHA, and the Si Foundation. Supplementary revenue streams include fees from short and long-term vocational and sign language training courses, hall rental, and e-commerce sales of handicrafts and furniture. The go-to-market approach is community-led: services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries at the Gaza City headquarters (72 Palestine Street, P.O. Box 1296), with awareness driven by partnerships with international organizations, word-of-mouth referrals, international delegation visits, and online fundraising campaigns via the website. The organization has been internationally recognized, including as a 2023 Zero Project Global Award finalist and 2019 Cooperation Excellence Award recipient for education.

Name

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children

Legal name

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children

Website

https://atfaluna.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children is a Gaza-based non-profit founded in 1992 that delivers education, healthcare, vocational training, and advocacy services to children and adults with hearing disabilities, employing 134+ staff of whom over 55% are deaf themselves.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Education and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Child Care Services (62441), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hearing Impairment & Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Inclusive Childcare (HSAAAIAJ), Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB), Accessibility & Special Needs Equipment (Assistive Devices, Adaptive Furniture, Sensory Rooms) (EDAEAIAM), Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services (EDALAFAN)

Keywords

• Deaf education services
• Sign language training
• Vocational rehabilitation programs
• Audiology clinic services
• Disability support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaza City

HQ country

Palestinian Territories

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Grants: Primary funding source from international donors, development cooperation agencies, and humanitarian aid organizations supporting Gaza-based operations.
2. Training Course Fees: Short and long-term vocational and professional training courses offered to the community, with some courses generating revenue.
3. Hall Rental: Rental of the organization's facilities and halls to external parties.
4. Crafts and Furniture Sales: Handicraft production and furniture items produced in the organization's workshops are sold through the e-commerce platform and exhibitions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children is a Gaza-based non-profit delivering educational, healthcare, and social services to children and adults with hearing disabilities. Its core offerings include a bilingual school for the deaf (Grades 1–9), kindergarten, sign-language programs, early-intervention services, an audiology and speech-therapy clinic, vocational and technical training in crafts, child protection, advocacy, and an inclusive-education program. A social-enterprise e-commerce store (crafts.atfaluna.net) sells handicrafts and furniture produced by deaf artisans.

Product overview

Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive ecosystem of social, educational, and vocational services for children and adults with hearing disabilities in Gaza. Its portfolio consists of multiple interconnected programs: educational services including a bilingual school (grades 1-9), kindergarten, and inclusive education program; early intervention and child protection units; vocational training in crafts (carpentry, sewing, embroidery, pottery, wood painting, arabiysk); and a social enterprise producing and selling handicrafts and furniture through its online store (crafts.atfaluna.net) and physical workshops. Healthcare services include audiology and speech therapy clinics. These programs work together to provide education, rehabilitation, vocational training, and employment opportunities for deaf individuals and their families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atfaluna Crafts: Handmade crafts and furniture products created by deaf artists, sold through crafts.atfaluna.net

Products and services

• Sign Language Program (برنامج لغة الإشارة) Provides sign language services to all segments of society, particularly individuals with hearing disabilities, their families and extended families, and civil-society workers. Available as a course registrable through the website.
• Early Intervention Program (برنامج التدخل المبكر) Provides individualized plans for families of children newly diagnosed with deafness, delivered through a home-based and kindergarten model to support early developmental outcomes.
• Atfaluna School for the Deaf (مدرسة أطفالنا للصم) A bilingual school spanning nine educational levels (Grades 1–9), combining Arabic and sign-language instruction for children with hearing disabilities. Provided free of charge to beneficiaries.
• Kindergarten / Preschool (الروضة) Play-based kindergarten using educational corners methodology to develop children's attitudes, hobbies, habits, skills, and abilities ahead of formal schooling.
• Vocational and Technical Training Program (برنامج التدريب المهني والتقني) Short- and long-term vocational training courses covering design, sewing, embroidery, carpentry, furniture making, upholstery, wood painting, pottery, ceramics, and Arbish (handicraft knotting/weaving). Courses are registrable through the website and contribute to the Crafts Production Department.
• Audiology Clinic (عيادة السمعيات) Outpatient audiology clinic staffed by qualified audiologists providing hearing evaluation, diagnosis, hearing-aid fitting, and speech therapy for children and adults.
• Community Center for Adult Education (المركز المجتمعي لتعليم الكبار) Provides adult education, technical and vocational training, and functional skills development for deaf adults, aligned with local labor-market needs.
• Atfaluna for Handicrafts and Furniture (أطفالنا للمنتجات الحرفية والأثاث) Social-enterprise product line of handicrafts and furniture produced by deaf artisans through in-house workshops (carpentry, sewing, embroidery, pottery, ceramics, wood painting, rug weaving, madapla fabric weaving), available for purchase online at crafts.atfaluna.net and via exhibitions.
• Child Protection Unit (وحدة حماية الطفل) Provides child protection services for children with disabilities, complementing the organization's educational and social programs.
• Advocacy and Mobilization Program (برنامج الحشد والمناصرة) Awareness-raising and advocacy program promoting the rights of persons with hearing disabilities and inclusive community practices.
• Inclusive Education Program (برنامج التعليم الشامل) Comprehensive inclusion program promoting equal educational opportunities for children with hearing disabilities, integrated with the 2017 Comprehensive Development Approach.
• Hall Rental Service (تأجير قاعات) Rental of the organization's halls and facilities to external parties, generating supplementary revenue to support nonprofit programs.
• Social Services (الخدمات الاجتماعية) Social services supporting deaf individuals and their families, including family counseling, referral, and follow-up support.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 134 staff employed, with deaf persons comprising over 55% of the workforce, serving thousands of beneficiaries annually.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Si Foundation (مؤسسة سي)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 August 2023Primary strategic partner that nominated Atfaluna Society for the Zero Project Global Award. The partnership focuses on supporting disability rights and inclusive development initiatives for persons with hearing disabilities in Gaza.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Federation of the Deaf: International umbrella organization representing deaf communities worldwide. Comparable as both serve deaf populations with a focus on rights, sign language, education, and advocacy, though WFD operates globally while Atfaluna is regionally focused.
• ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid): Established NGO supporting health, education, and community development in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. Comparable as a regional humanitarian non-profit operating in Gaza with overlapping donor base and education/development focus.
• Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF): Non-profit delivering humanitarian medical, educational, and social services to children in Palestine including Gaza. Comparable as a regionally focused Palestinian NGO serving children with complex needs through donor-funded programming.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins School for the Blind: Historic U.S. institution providing comprehensive education and rehabilitation services for students with disabilities. Comparable in operating a comprehensive lifecycle model (school, early intervention, vocational) under a single special-education umbrella.
• Gallaudet University: The world's only university for deaf and hard of hearing students, with deep bilingual ASL/English education methodology. Comparable as a deaf-education institution with bilingual curriculum expertise, though at higher-education scale.
• CBM International: Major international disability-focused NGO delivering health, education, and livelihood programs across the developing world. Comparable in serving persons with disabilities through comprehensive programming and donor-funded service delivery.
• Save the Children: Global NGO delivering education, health, and child protection services including to children with disabilities in conflict zones. Comparable in operating child-focused humanitarian programs in Gaza with overlapping international donor network.
• National Association of the Deaf (US): U.S. civil rights organization advocating for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Comparable in advocacy and community-building mission for deaf populations, though focused on rights rather than direct service delivery.

Regional players

• Lebanese Association for the Deaf: Regional Arab non-profit serving deaf populations in Lebanon through education, advocacy, and sign language programs. Directly comparable in mission and service mix, operating in a similar Middle Eastern context but in a different country.
• Syrian Arab Association for the Deaf: Arab-region non-profit serving deaf populations through sign language training, education, and advocacy. Comparable in mission and cultural context but operating in a different country with different conflict dynamics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atfalunasociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children