Ismael K. Byaruhanga has a Ph.D. in rehabilitations sciences from University of Cologne (Germany) (2022). Ismael's doctoral research focused on the development of the first hearing screening tools for infants and children, proposing screening and diagnostic tools for hearing loss in children under and over 3 years old in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ismael's master’s degree in communication for congenital deafblindness from University of Groningen, The Netherlands (2019), focused on the social construction of congenital deafblindness in relation to education: an analysis in East and Central Africa (Uganda & DR Congo). The study noted the importance of the social construction of congenital deafblindness when planning rehabilitation or special needs education services. Ismael has a master’s degree in special needs education from Kenyatta University with specialization in hearing impairment (2015) and a postgraduate diploma in clinical audiology and public health otology from University of Nairobi (2013). Currently, Ismael is the Executive Director of the Centre for Education and Community-Based Rehabilitation and a consultant clinical and educational audiologist in the DR Congo and Uganda. Ismael is also a Hearing Health Advocate (HHA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2021 to date) and a Member of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH) Advocacy Committee.
