At TranscriptionServices.com, we understand the importance of communication in all aspects of life—but we also recognize that deafness and hearing loss impedes communication for millions of people worldwide. That’s why we’re proud to help the Starkey Hearing Foundation in their mission to improve access to hearing care around the world.
Millions of people live in a silent world.
Disabling hearing loss affects more than 430 million people worldwide, which accounts for 5% of the world’s population, some 34 million of whom are children. Nearly 80% of those who suffer from disabilities live in low- or middle-income countries, where prevention and treatment are more difficult—or, for some, impossible—to access. The severity can range from partial hearing loss that interferes with day-to-day life to total deafness that plunges one into an entirely silent world.
The consequences of hearing loss can be drastic.
The effects that deafness or hearing loss has on a person’s life can be severe. Hearing loss from early childhood can impede one’s ability to acquire linguistic and communication skills, placing them at a disadvantage as they navigate through society. Hearing loss can also result in stigma, social isolation, and loneliness, with people with deafness or hearing loss voluntarily withdrawing from social activities to avoid potential embarrassment or ridicule.
Depending on the severity, hearing loss can also hinder a person’s ability to detect and avoid dangers when they’re out and about, such as oncoming traffic. Making matters even more complicated, in developing countries, children with hearing loss often do not receive schooling, and adults with hearing loss are far more likely to be unemployed or employed in lower-paying positions than the general workforce, which lowers quality of life and makes it all the more difficult to access relief for hearing loss.
We help bring the gift of hearing to people worldwide.
Fortunately, organizations like the Starkey Hearing Foundation are working tirelessly to improve the lives of those with deafness or hearing loss and help prevent further hearing loss in at-risk populations. The Starkey Hearing Foundation focuses on training and educating the next generation of hearing care professionals, particularly in developing countries, where access to care is much lower than in the developed world.
The organization started out in Zambia, opening their first Starkey Hearing Institute in Lusaka in 2016. By November 2023, the institute had graduated 103 students, who have since brought their hearing care services to 19 countries across Africa. In 2024, they opened a second institute in the Philippine capital of Manila and will be graduating 33 students in the inaugural class, who will take their newfound hearing care skills and training to transform lives in their respective communities. The Starkey Hearing Foundation plans to open a third institute in Latin America in 2025.
The Starkey Hearing Foundation relies on the generosity of donors to bring care and treatment to those suffering from deafness and hearing impairment. We’re proud to contribute to their valuable initiative through a generous donation to fund hearing aid battery replacements, which will give hundreds of people across Africa and Southeast Asia the continued gift of hearing. Accordingly, all these recipients will be able to combat stigma and social isolation, advance in their schooling or career, gain confidence, and enjoy the wonders of life.
You can help us bring music to people’s worlds.
At TranscriptionServices.com, we’re dedicated to doing what we can to help people around the world suffering from deafness and hearing loss. That’s why we’ve committed to donating a month’s worth of hearing aid batteries to a recipient in a developing country for every order you place with us. We help hardworking organizations like the Starkey Hearing Foundation provide much-needed access to hearing care across the developing world, and you help us fund our donations every time you place an order. Together, we can make the world a little more musical.
Read more about our social mission or reach out today to discuss placing your first transcription order.
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