Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) successfully accomplishes the first stage of the project "Community Outreach and Awareness Rising to Improve Ear Medical Care".
The project "Community Outreach and Awareness Raising to Improve Ear Medical Care" aims at decreasing hearing problems which lead to hearing impairment and consequently affect the communication skills.
The project achieved its objectives in the first stage through primary hearing screening for about 4975 children above the age of 5 years, teachers, and mothers mainly from marginalized areas of the Gaza Strip. The hearing screening had been implemented by a specialist team in co-operation with ASDC partners and other NGO's. In addition, nearly 2173 persons benefited from "Ear Health Care Awareness Campaign" directly through the awareness lectures or indirectly through the project media coverage.
Mohamed ElSharif, Atfaluna Executive Director, stated "The project's significance comes from providing preventive measures in the field of ear and hearing health for those who are at risk in the community. As the project targets the general public, it provides its services to children, parents, senior citizens and professionals. The project's two main activities concentrate on conducting community hearing screening and on raising hearing health awareness in poor and marginalized areas in the Gaza Strip".
This four-year project (2009 - 2012) is co-funded Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development, and CBM, Germany, and implemented by the Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children (ASDC). The Project targeted children of age 5 and above, Teachers, mothers, and senior citizens especially in marginalized areas of the Gaza Strip.
The Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children (http://www.atfaluna.net) is a non-profit society established in the Gaza Strip in 1992. It aims at improving the quality of life of deaf children and adults and helping them reach their full potential by providing quality education, health care, social services, and work opportunities.