Just a simple battery can make a world of difference for a child or adult who is hearing impaired. Thanks to ANERA's delivery of 100 hearing aids and testing equipment, many of Gaza's youngsters will be able to hear clearly once again.
The hearing aids and batteries are destined for children three-to-five years old in ANERA's Milk for Preschoolers Program. Hearing tests in 2008 found that nearly 800 children suffered from ear problems or hearing loss. Another 273 had some kind of hearing impairment because of untreated ear infections.
Tight border controls in Gaza since 2006 have made it more difficult for organizations in Gaza to obtain equipment and materials needed for treating hearing impairments.
The testing equipment and molding supplies are for audiologists at Atfaluna Society for the Deaf, the only Gaza institution dedicated to working with deaf children. Audiologists there call the new supplies a 'good fortune' for students who fear leaving their homes because a shortage of batteries meant their hearing aids couldn't function.
"We have faced a lack of hearing aids and batteries," said Ramadan, an audiologist at Atfaluna. "For about 18 months, hearing aid batteries were not allowed into Gaza so the hard-of-hearing who rely on hearing aids couldn't use them any more."
The delivery of hearing aids and equipment was made possible by the generosity of American audiologist Randa Mansour-Shousher of Toledo, Ohio. She worked with her fellow ear doctors and two hearing aid manufacturers to send the high-quality devices to Gaza.
"I'm an audiologist and I'm Palestinian. I was brought up to do the best that I can for others," explained Mansour-Shousher. "Knowing that this is a needed item and there are Palestinian kids waiting for it and I could do something for them makes me feel really good."
ANERA's long-time Gaza partner Atfaluna, will help distribute the hearing aids to Gaza's neediest.
The hearing aids were a welcome gift for 12-year-old Hazem, from northern Gaza with very low hearing ability. "I hope to be able to have my hearing back and hear my favorite songs and watch TV," said Hazem, who started singing his favorite song.
"I can't believe it. We signed up for the hearing aid last week and now, we can take it," said Hatem's father. "Our family is so relieved. We could not afford to buy the hearing aids, which cost about $350 each," he added.
"I picked ANERA because it is well-organized and I trusted that its staff in Gaza take the work seriously," explained Mansour-Shousher.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A Palestinian boy stands in front of the gate to the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip during a protest against the Israeli blockade June 18, 2009. Israel, which ...
