On October 21 – 22, 2014 at the Bayat Media Center in Kabul, the Bayat Foundation initiated a new partnership with the Starkey Foundation (USA) to bring the gift of hearing to those who would otherwise live in the isolation of a silent world.

In this first annual mission, the two organizations worked together to provide more than 1,700 customized hearing aids to Afghan children and adults.  The three-day event enabled many individuals to hear for the first time, including students with hearing loss from two schools in Kabul, Professional High School of Deaf (Lycée Maslaki Nashanawa) and National Deaf Association of Kabul (Lycée  Mille Nashanawa Kabul) as well as patients from across the region.

In addition to fitting patients with hearing aids, each recipient was also provided with counseling on the proper use and maintenance of the hearing aids, a generous supply of batteries, and access to follow-up care through the Starkey Foundation global AfterCare program.  The organizations also established a hot line for parents to call with further questions.

With our donors’ considerable support, we have long had a hope and dream that we could make a difference in Afghanistan’s future.  To give the ability to hear for the first time is a life changing moment. These hearing aids will impact the children and their families for generations to come. By providing these hearing aids, we can give every child the opportunity to become a larger part of society.  Those that were in attendance will never forget seeing a child to hear his or her first name and witnessing the joy in their eyes.

Thank you for your support to our commitment of bringing the gift of hearing to Afghan children and families who want to leave their silent worlds behind.  With your continued support, we look forward to making our 2015 hearing mission even larger than this inaugural event.