Hear the World

Hear the World We support children in low- and middle-income countries who require access to audiological care. Join our mission!

Founded in 2006 by Sonova Group, the Hear the World Foundation supports aid projects benefiting children with hearing loss from
low- to middle-income countries, enabling them to develop to their fullest potential. The non-profit Swiss foundation provides funding, hearing aid technology and on-site expertise with a view to training up local staff. More than 100 high-profile personalities, such as B

ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, Cindy Crawford, Annie Lennox, and Sting, have supported Hear the World as ambassadors for conscious hearing.

In Kenya, ear and hearing care had been embedded into Kwale County's Health Development Plan, but without resources or t...
09/06/2026

In Kenya, ear and hearing care had been embedded into Kwale County's Health Development Plan, but without resources or trained staff, it was not able to actualize.

Our partner, Sense International Kenya, has found a way to bridge this gap and identify children with hearing loss at touchpoints where they already receive care. Nearly 90 healthcare workers across maternal health, pediatrics, maternity, and newborn care departments are now trained to conduct hearing screening as part of routine hospital services.

Through this program they have been able to create a system that is built on shared responsibility, rotational schedules, and institutional ownership, all while looking to further expand this work to four sub-counties across Kwale, Kenya.

By embedding hearing screening into routine healthcare services and strengthening expertise, the program is building a sustainable model that empowers local professionals to drive long-term improvements in hearing care within their communities.

Read the full story and learn more about Sense International Kenya, https://www.hear-the-world.com/activity-report/activity-report-25-26/our-partners-kenya-25-26/

Hearing loss often goes unrecognized, not because care doesn't exist, but because families don't always know where to th...
28/05/2026

Hearing loss often goes unrecognized, not because care doesn't exist, but because families don't always know where to they can seek support.

In many communities across Zambia, distance from health facilities, cultural misconceptions, and a lack of accessible information means that children with hearing challenges often go without the care they need.

Our project partner Christina Blind Mission (CBM), together with Beit CURE Hospital Zambia, has built a network of nearly 400 community-based volunteers. They are recruited locally, speaking local languages and bridge the gaps between families and healthcare. Through door-to-door outreach, school visits, and community gatherings, they identify children who may have hearing challenges, address myths and fears, and walk alongside families all the way to their first appointment.

Read more about CBM's work and the impact of this program in our latest Activity Report, https://www.hear-the-world.com/activity-report/activity-report-25-26/our-partners-zambia-25-26/

21/05/2026

We're thrilled to share our 2025/2026 Activity Report with you! 🎉

This past year has been one of real momentum for Hear the World Foundation, 14 projects supported across 12 countries with CHF 10.2 million donated.

Here's what we accomplished together with our project partners:
✅ 4,555 hearing aids fitted
✅ 6,290 people trained
✅ 668,591 children and families reached

Our Activity Report goes beyond the statistics, it tells the stories of the people and partners making this possible, and how we're working to build lasting change in hearing health.

None of this happens without the support of people like you. A big thank you to our project partners, donors and the Sonova volunteers and employees who make this all possible.

Read the full report via the link below 👇
https://www.hear-the-world.com/activity-report/activity-report-25-26/

Across sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people live with hearing loss that goes undiagnosed, not because care is impossib...
14/05/2026

Across sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people live with hearing loss that goes undiagnosed, not because care is impossible, but because it simply doesn't reach them. Limited infrastructure, too few trained professionals, and communities far from clinics create a gap in care.

Hear the World volunteer and Manager of Audiology Thought Leadership at Phonak, Lisa Bacic, set out to help bridge that gap, not clinically, but through communication.

As part of her volunteer assignment Lisa worked alongside the our project partner, WizEar in Zimbabwe, to strengthen how they tell their story. Together, they developed brochures, newsletters, and social media content to raise awareness of hearing health and connect communities to the project's services, from ear camps to early signs of infection.

What she found behind the work was a deep local expertise, genuine passion, and an integrated model of care that doesn't stop at diagnosis. WizEar screens communities, fits hearing aids, provides speech and language support, and trains local healthcare workers.

This is what is possible when local expertise meets collaborative support.

Read more about Lisa's experience and work with WizEar here, https://www.hear-the-world.com/strengthening-hearing-care-where-access-is-limited-a-partnership-with-wizear-zimbabwe/

After 11 years of partnership, Hear the World Foundation is concluding its alliance with Centro Audicion Coral Oaxaca (C...
08/05/2026

After 11 years of partnership, Hear the World Foundation is concluding its alliance with Centro Audicion Coral Oaxaca (CORAL), a pediatric audiology organization based in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Since 2014, together we have:
✅ Donated 312 hearing aids to newborns and children
✅ Built a fully equipped audiology clinic
✅ Strengthened CORAL's connections with local hospitals and schools

Saúl Fuentes, CORAL's project lead, shared, "In my view, what deserves to be highlighted is a partnership focused on technical support and institutional strengthening. HTWF's greatest contribution was in building our capacity through knowledge and equipment, as well as broadening our perspective."

CORAL stands today as a resilient institution. Thank you to the CORAL team and all who believed in the work of this organization.

Children living with diabetes face a heightened risk of hearing loss, yet this connection often goes undetected. Through...
30/04/2026

Children living with diabetes face a heightened risk of hearing loss, yet this connection often goes undetected.

Through our partnership with Jordan University Hospital (JUH) and the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Jordan, JUH has organized a free ENT and hearing screening day, bringing ENT specialists, audiologists, medical students, and our HTW volunteer and audiologist, Dr. Lisbeth Strang, together to screen children with diabetes for ear and hearing disorders.

Children identified as needing further care were referred to the National Center for Children's Hearing Care at JUH, for free diagnostics and treatment.

By embedding early detection and hearing care into diabetes management, we are ensuring children can receive the high-quality hearing care they need.

In Jordan, our partners Jordan University Hospital (JUH)/The University of Jordan - الجامعة الأردنية and Jordan Univers...
05/03/2026

In Jordan, our partners Jordan University Hospital (JUH)/The University of Jordan - الجامعة الأردنية and Jordan University of Science and Technology JUST recently led a volunteer medical day at the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf, focusing on pediatric hearing health.

During the campaign 36 children aged 10–18 were fitted with hearing aids by a multidisciplinary team of ENT physicians, audiologists, speech and hearing specialists, interns, and students. Free hearing and speech screenings were also offered to members of the surrounding community to support early detection and awareness.

But the work of these partners goes beyond individual interventions.

Together, JUH and JUST are advocating for nationwide improvements in pediatric hearing care in Jordan. JUH is engaging with the Jordanian Ministry of Health, contributing technical expertise and training screening personnel while also advocating for nationwide newborn hearing screening. While JUST, is working to strengthen pediatric health nationally by evaluating and improving hearing screenings in public schools and health centers.

We are proud to support partners who are not only delivering care to children today, but also helping shape stronger hearing care systems for the future.

03/03/2026

On 3 March, we mark , a global call to raise awareness about hearing loss and strengthen ear and hearing care for all.

This year’s theme, “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” highlights an urgent reality:

🔹 Around 90 million children aged 5–19 live with hearing loss
🔹 Over 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable
🔹 Early identification is critical to protect language, learning, and future opportunities

Yet in many low- and middle-income countries, children still face major barriers to care, from a shortage of trained professionals to financial constraints and the absence of systematic screening in schools and primary healthcare systems.

At Hear the World Foundation, we work with local partners to change this, strengthening community-based services, supporting early identification programs, and helping ensure children can hear, learn, and thrive.

Read more about how this work is critical to ensuring no child is left behind, https://www.hear-the-world.com/world-hearing-day-2026-from-communities-to-classrooms/

We're proud to share the incredible impact of two Sonova team members who volunteered with Hear the World in both Zimbab...
26/02/2026

We're proud to share the incredible impact of two Sonova team members who volunteered with Hear the World in both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Rachel Lamb, Phonak Clinical Trainer, traveled to Kwale, Kenya, working alongside Sense International Kenya to provide technical support and training to local audiologists in Conditioned Play Audiometry and Visual Reinforcement Audiometry.

While Stephanie West, Unitron Clinical Trainer, volunteered with Christian Blind Mission and CURE International's Beit Children’s Hospital of Zambia in Lusaka, training 16 audiology technicians in pediatric hearing assessments. During a satellite clinic visit to Kabwe, she also supported staff to fit hearing aids on 13 children.

Read more about their expertise and experience as Hear the World volunteers, https://www.hear-the-world.com/htw-volunteers-audiology-training-in-kenya-and-zambia/

When Mateo arrived at Oír Para Crecer (OPC) at age three, he faced significant challenges. Born prematurely at six month...
12/02/2026

When Mateo arrived at Oír Para Crecer (OPC) at age three, he faced significant challenges. Born prematurely at six months, he struggled with sensory and motor development, and his family had recently discovered that he was not able to hear them that well.

His parents desperately wanted to help but were unable to afford hearing aids or the cochlear implant he was told that he needed. Referred to our project partners OPC, by another local partner organization in Peru, Mateo received a comprehensive audiological evaluation that revealed moderate bilateral hearing loss. The good news for Mateo? He was an excellent candidate for hearing aids!

Five years later, Mateo is thriving. Now eight years old, he's fully included in his school and social environment, benefits from improved hearing and the unwavering support of his family.

Learn more about our partners at OPC here, https://www.hear-the-world.com/project/oir-para-crecer/

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