Zaineb Abdulla
Chicago, IL
Zaineb is the founder of Deaf Defy, a non‑profit that brings sign language, hearing aids and audiological care to children living in refugee camps and areas of conflict around the world. Deaf Defy‑sponsored international medical missions support deaf and hard of hearing pediatric refugees and students displaced by conflict. A behavioral specialist and medical mission leader, Zaineb directs missions that provide advocacy skills, sign language, STEM lessons and audiology (testing/fittings) to pediatric refugees in camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Iraq. She co‑founded and previously served as Vice President of Deaf Soul Planet, a non‑profit that serves and empowers the Deaf and Hard of Hearing through programming in childhood literacy, women’s self‑defense, job training, business development, social events and more.