Parent leaders - Kai Mäkiperä

Kai Makipera is a parent, advocate, and voluntary leader at DHB.se, Sweden's national association for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and language-impaired children and their families. Based in Sweden, he brings a uniquely grounded perspective shaped by one of the world's most inclusive welfare systems, where Swedish Sign Language is legally protected, and families are supported from early childhood through working life.

As a father of three, two daughters and one son, his journey took a defining turn when his oldest daughter was born deaf and received two cochlear implants. Grateful for the resources his family found, yet driven by a belief that every child deserves equal access regardless of circumstance, Kai has volunteered within DHB since 2012. Alongside coaching his children in sports, he has dedicated himself to championing sign language rights, democratic participation for families, and quietly applying the organisational skills he has built over the years to help wherever they are needed in the hearing loss and deafness community.

Outside of his advocacy work, Kai is an active floorball player and enjoys keeping fit through running and hitting the gym. He finds equal joy in exploring new places and in the simple pleasure of time spent with the people closest to him.