Hear the World Foundation Supports WHOs Campaign to Prevent Hearing Loss and Minimize Its Negative Impact

Hear the Future: Hear the World Foundation supports WHO’s campaign to prevent hearing loss and minimize its negative impact

“Hear the Future” is the theme of World Hearing Day 2018. The WHO calls on everybody to take action to prevent and treat hearing loss. For over 10 years the Sonova initiated Hear the World Foundation has enabled people in need with hearing loss to hear better. Everybody can help to support this important issue.

An estimated 1.1 billion people worldwide are affected by hearing loss - 34 million of them are children. Most of these children live in low- and middle-income countries and have no access to audiological care. Just one in forty children with hearing loss wear a hearing aid.

WHO calls for action
On March 3, for World Hearing Day 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) will draw attention towards the rise in the number of people with hearing loss across the world with the theme “Hear the future”. The WHO calls on everybody to take action to stem the increase of hearing loss through preventive efforts and to help ensure that people with hearing loss have access to rehabilitation and hearing solutions.

The consequences of an untreated hearing loss can be serious: People who do not hear, cannot learn to speak. This could cause difficulties at school and in their work life and the chances of a life without limitations are low. On top of this, untreated hearing loss costs the global economy USD $750 billion every year (Source: WHO, 2018).

Prevention and treatment since 2006
The Hear the World Foundation – an initiative of Sonova, the leading provider of hearing solutions, is supporting people in need with hearing loss all around the world for over 10 years. Since its establishment, the foundation has supported over 80 aid projects enabling people in need to (better) hear. The foundation donated funding, the latest hearing technology by Phonak, Unitron, Hansaton, Advanced Bionics as well as expertise of a pool of over 14,000 Sonova employees from around the world. As volunteers, employees share their knowledge with local project staff on-site in the projects and thus provide valuable help for self-help.

Every donation and every social share counts
Participation is everything: Everybody can make a statement on World Hearing Day and donate in favor of a child in need with hearing loss through www.hear-the-world.com. You can also help spreading the word by sharing the Hear the World Foudnation’s messages on social media. With each post, share or like we draw even more people's attention to the important issue.