Annual Report 2010/11 - Sonova

CAMBODIA – BETTER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS
The difficult situation of women in Cambodian society,
which is often characterized by dependency, violence,
and abuse, is even worse when physical limitations such
as hearing loss are present. With no outlook for a job
and isolated by society, these women can’t escape the
downward economic and social spiral. Basic medical
knowledge is also lacking; in many families, superstition
still prevails. Ear infections are often treated
with chicken feathers or the entrails of dead animals.
Against this background, All Ears Cambodia – the only
organization in Cambodia specializing in hearing loss
in women and children – has been providing medical
information and care for 14 million Cambodian women
for seven years. The Hear the World Foundation supports
this organization with financial funds and hearing systems.
Children who have lost their hearing are given hearing
systems by the Hear the World Foundation. These hearing
systems are adjusted locally. Additional speech therapy
makes it possible for the children to attend normal schools,
which allows them to take their professional future into
their own hands and ensure their own future existence.
Compensation for hearing loss in adult women also gives
As the Hear the World Foundation becomes better known
around the world, the number of inquiries from private
individuals asking for help has increased considerably. To
respond to individual cases, the “52 Children” project
was launched in 2010 to give the gift of better hearing to
52 disadvantaged children from around the world every
year. The Hear the World Foundation does not just provide
hearing systems, it also ensures that support is provided
over the long run working together with in-country partners.
SUSTAINABILITY
them the opportunity to become active participants in the
economy and thus social participants in society.
60% of all hearing loss in children is preventable or reversible
and is often caused by infections. With informational
brochures, posters and a short film shown in the waiting
rooms at clinics, the population learns how to deal properly
with hearing and is informed about possible illnesses so
that the number of people affected by hearing loss can be
permanently reduced.
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