大象传媒

Sound Seekers is dedicated to helping thousands of people with hearing loss in the poorest communities of Africa.聽 A child living in sub-Saharan Africa is more than twice as likely to be deaf as a child living in the developed world.聽 Diseases such as malaria or meningitis can result in hearing loss so even if a child survives, their future will be restricted as deaf children are often excluded from school.聽聽

Partnering with hospitals, health service providers and schools for deaf children, we help to overcome the effects of deafness by sharing skills and providing resources so that medical staff can identify and treat hearing loss.聽 Sound Seekers also provides training and equipment for teachers so that deaf children can access education and secure their future.聽

Happy became deaf after suffering from malaria in Malawi. He was stuck in the same class for three years at school because he couldn't hear anything. Last year, Sound Seekers fitted him with hearing aids and now Happy has finally moved up a year and is thriving in school.

Sound Seekers supports the training of hospital staff in Cameroon, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia in audiology and provides the equipment they need to assist people with hearing loss, including fitting hearing aids. Our biggest project is in Malawi where we are building a comprehensive audiology service.

In Africa, children with hearing loss are often thought to be stupid and are excluded from school. Sound Seekers helps facilitate education for deaf and hearing-impaired children by delivering teacher training, materials and equipment, as well as by providing hearing aids where appropriate to enable children to attend school, giving them access to education and a future.

In Africa, hearing loss dramatically reduces employment opportunities, and increases the risk of isolation and mental health problems.聽 Yet 50% of hearing loss cases are preventable.聽 Sound Seekers works to raise awareness of the causes of deafness and to promote basic ear care that can reduce the likelihood of hearing loss.