About
About the Uni-Versity of 96 E.C.S Def-Led Education
Welcome to the School of 96 E.C.S Def-Led, founded by Kwame Afrik, a self-employed educator, BSL teacher, sign language coach, choreographer, and Deaf awareness trainer. The site shares universal sign language for BSL and foreign sign language users seeking to optimise their signing skills.
Established in August 2021, 96 E.C.S Def-Led is a Limited by Guarantee organisation. 96 E.C.S Def-Led—which stands for the 96 Europa Cultural Society of the Def-Led—is an urban organisation that provides education under the 'Uni-Versity' sector, meaning 'One Spiral' in Latin, symbolising our vision of unity—One Love DNA Family Stock.
96 offers BSSL courses (delivered by 96 E.C.S DefLed) and BSL courses (delivered by Signature) at Levels 1 - 4. Kwame is fully qualified as a trainer, with Deaf-led teachers collaborating on the platform. Additionally, other Def-Led (Deaf-Led) BSL teachers and Def-Led (Defined-Led) professionals collaborate with the Uni-Versity and deliver their lessons on the 96 E.C.S DefLed platform. We often use a Communication Support Worker (CSW) for translation.
If you have any questions about the 96 E.C.S DefLed course, please contact us here. We hope you enjoy the School of 96 E.C.S DefLed Education.
Kwame Afrik
Founder
96 EMPLOYEES:
Training Teacher
My name is Melanie Pontet-Piccolomini. I am a self-employed teacher and British Sign Language (BSL) user, working with 96 as a Teaching Assistant and collaborator.
I was first employed by Kwame, who trained me in BSL teaching and graphic design. I loved learning these skills and value the experience enormously. Kwame’s philosophy of BSL business and enterprise was inspiring, and I was excited to work with his company and help teach sign language.
I believe strongly in the 96 project’s vision to bridge Deaf and hearing communities through social and community projects. Deaf people are still marginalized, and I believe 96 can foster understanding, inclusion, and equality.
I am passionate about empowering Deaf people and those with disabilities by promoting accessibility. I am proud to be part of a project that unites people, breaks communication barriers, and fosters a more inclusive society.
OUR MISSION
96 E.C.S Def-Led Mission: The Educational Provider
96 E.C.S Def-Led is guided by three critical points — Incorporation (Integration), Refinement (Enhancement) and Cultivation (Development) — delivering a dynamic, forward thinking learning experience for learners and partner organisations.
The term “Def-Led” in 96 E.C.S Def-Led refers to two branches: “Deaf-Led” Faculty, run by Deaf professionals, and “Defined-Led” Educational Faculty, led by seasoned professional teachers and creators.
We are dedicated to improving communication among deaf and hearing people so that individuals with disabilities are granted equal access to education, entertainment, employment and services — promoting awareness and consciousness through signing language alongside spoken languages.
We are committed to producing exceptional leaders, teachers, coaches, artists, creators, business people, entrepreneurs, nutritionists, sport and fitness trainers, herbalists, scientists, engineers, technocrats, sustainable ecologists and conservationists, agriculturalists, and S.E.E.D.S (Sustainable, Ecological, Engineering, Design for Society) offspring who will help create a haven for our planet.
We aim to improve communication between deaf and hearing people, including able-bodied and disabled individuals, to build stronger communities. Our mission is to ensure people with disabilities, including the deaf, have equal access to education, entertainment, employment, and services. The Europa platform's goal is to provide multilingual educational materials across Europe, starting with the UK, to promote awareness, enhance education quality, and improve services with signing language alongside spoken languages.
We offer accredited and informal courses in British Sign Language, plus optional classes in literacy, maths, agriculture, horticulture, music, nutrition, herbal medicine, fitness training, martial arts, IT, and S.T.E.M. We are developing Universal Sign languages for sign songs, dance styles like Azonto and street dance, sign storytelling, poetry, and Visual Vernacular (VV), aimed at enhancing expression and resilience against conditions like Alzheimer's and cognitive impairment.
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What 96 means
One DNA family stock.
The number combination 96 represents the diversity of racial genetics. The digit 9 signifies African genetics, while 8, 7 and 6 represent other races across the Western and Eastern hemispheres — reminding us that we all originate from the same DNA family stock.