The work of Sound Seekers

A pound would cover the cost of a mosquito net that could play a part in the fight against malaria-linked deafness in developing nations. That’s according to the charity Sound Seekers.

You may have used a net like this while on holiday or traveling. Sound Seekers says that malaria is a significant cause of people losing hearing when it comes to developing countries.

In these nations, less than one-fortieth of those needing hearing aids actually have access to one.

The organisation works to help children who are deaf in some of these countries’ poorest communities. It would like support from fundraising, donations and the promotion of its work.

The charity pays £4 per test, on average, to provide hearing tests for children, and it carries out thousands of these for youngsters as well as adults each year.

Just £20 would allow for the provision of charts and books for use in a school for the deaf. And £10 would cover the cost of giving a child a hearing aid with batteries.

There are links for sending donations on the internet on the charity’s website, or a cheque, written out to Sound Seekers, can be sent to an address on the site.

The organisation began life in 1959 and used to be called The Commonwealth Society for the Deaf.

It says that causes of people becoming deaf include the infection otitis media, often seen in pre-school children in the developing world, as well as measles, meningitis and mumps.

Genetic factors can play a part as can having excessive exposure to noise in the long term.

The charity makes some fundraising suggestions on its website, and these include having a sponsored silence for the day, a charity pub quiz, a wine tasting or coffee morning .

Carol singing is another possibility that it suggests, though that one might be best left for later in the year!