Graduates will return to their communities to promote community-based ear and hearing healthcare
LUSAKA, Zambia (Dec. 15, 2017) – Starkey Hearing Foundation celebrated the second graduating class of its year-long program in hearing instrument sciences at the Starkey Hearing Institute in Zambia. These students came from around Africa to be trained in hearing instrument sciences, including Starkey’s WFA® community-based hearing healthcare model, and will now return to their home communities to identify, diagnose and treat the over 30 million Africans with hearing loss.
Starkey Hearing Institute opened in 2016, with the mission to train hearing healthcare workers to address the urgent need for professionals who can provide quality care to people around Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The number of Africans in need of hearing care is astounding. With such a large number of people to serve, these specialists will play an essential role in their communities’ well-being.” said Owen Olende, Starkey Hearing Foundation director of global development. “We are determined to widen the reach of our simple, sustainable and scalable community-based hearing healthcare program across Africa to provide the much-needed care to those in need.”
The next Starkey Hearing Institute program will commence in early 2018, with 10 students from eight countries around Africa.
About Starkey Hearing Foundation
Starkey Hearing Foundation, a public charity co-founded by William F. Austin and Tani Austin, gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. Disabling hearing loss affects more than 360 million people, including 32 million children, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that improve lives and promote understanding. Starkey Hearing Foundation focuses on hearing health missions, hearing loss education and hearing aid recycling. Connect with Starkey Hearing Foundation on Facebook and Twitter, or visit www.
