| Summary: | The project, which has been running for many years, will continue to enable the provision of hearing services for children and adults in Samoa by running clinics twice a year by Australian volunteers and locally trained assistants. This involves identifying deaf children at an early age as possible and fitting them with donated hearing aids. They are then referred to teachers of deaf children and sign language interpreters, whose training is improving due to Australian volunteers.
We are also working with a local dentist on the more remote island of Savaii and providing him with equipment and consumable clinic items so that dental health in remote locations can be improved. |
| Challenge: | Services for the deaf are almost non-existent in Samoa. Children whom are not identified as having a hearing loss can appear to have an intellectual disability. We have identified several children like this, in inappropriate educational locations. If the hearing loss is significant, they cannot acquire an education at school because they cannot hear the teacher. They will also have problems finding employment as the cannot communicate.
Older people with this kind of hearing loss become isolated and cannot take part in family life.
Poor dental care in children can lead to many health issues. |
| Solution: | We need funds to fund the fitting of the donated hearing aids, which is about $200 per client. This would help to cover the costs of batteries, earmoulds & consumable items.
Equipment is needed to assess the hearing of children and we would like to extend the service to younger children and babies which will necessitate the purchasing more sophisticated equipment.
We would also like to meet the travelling costs of another audiologist each year to provide audiology services and to train local staff. At present volunteers have to meet these costs themselves, which limits the number of audiologists who can go.
Each week-long trip for an audiologist costs about $3500.
Upskilling of teachers and sign language interpreters will require visits by an experienced teacher of the hearing impaired. |
| Long term impact: | Children who are identified as hearing impaired will be placed in educational settings where they will be able to gain an education and we have examples of children we have identified as having a hearing loss who have been able to gain employment. We have seen many faces light up when the child hears for the first time.
The general health of children who have adequate dental care will improve significantly and serious health problems can often be avoided.
In both the hearing health and dental areas, there is a great improvement in quality of life. |
| Sponsored by: | Rotary Club of Carlingford, District 9685 |
| Endorsed by: | Rotary Club of Apia, Samoa, District 9220 |