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ALL EARS Newsletter No. 19—2017
1
President’s Piece In March 2017, Donna was already on her second trip to Fiji for
the year. She needs volunteers for the next one and more to
come. We will also be looking for volunteers for Papua New
Guinea, and by years end, we need someone who has God’s
calling to live in Malawi in Africa for a year (or more). Is God
speaking to you? Go to Africa. Go to Africa. Go to Africa.
OK, so if that’s not an option, how about you join me in Miami in October for the 8th
Annual Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH) Conference 12-14 October
2017 University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida, USA? No sacrifice in comfort there.
You can sign up for my ‘Earmould manufacturing’ workshop or some of the other
workshops and hear people share the passion of their work in vastly differing
audiology projects around the world. Donna Carkeet, Peter Bartlett and I are
members of three Steering Committees within the CGHH: Donna in Education and
Training, Peter in Global Standard of Care and I am on the Technical Committee. The
World Health Organisation is looking to CGHH as a Peak Body to represent audiology
for developing countries, which means we have the opportunity to influence and set
standards in best practice in the developing world.
Back home we will hold a Special General Meeting after the Annual General Meeting
on 29th of April in Melbourne to vote on amendments to the Rules (previously
known as the Constitution) so that we can progress toward becoming a Public
Benevolent Institution (PBI) which will allow growth for the future.
We are also gearing up to launch our hearing aid donation boxes so let us know if
you want to trial one in your clinic.
Help us make 2017 an exceptional year.
Blessings
David Pither, President, EARS Inc.
EARS Inc. is an Australian, not-for-profit association dedicated to
reducing the incidence and impact of hearing impairment through training and equipping local individuals and agencies in developing countries.
We serve and empower people, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or religion, while showing the love of Jesus through our words and actions.
Our vision is for deaf and hearing impaired people in developing
countries to have access to the hearing services they need to help them to
reach their potential.
School vocational program in Malawi
With the help of the generous people of
her church at St Bartholomew Anglican
Church in Crookwell, Marg Anderson
spent nearly three weeks with Peter and
Rebecca Bartlett in April 2016.
Since then Marg has been raising money
to support a vocational program in a
small school for hearing impaired
children in Malawi. God has graciously
provided a local contact in the form of
Liz Ottoway, a retired English nurse who
regularly visits the school. Liz shares
Marg’s vision for the children to learn
skills to help the school become self-
sufficient now, and enable the children
to make a living when they leave school.
Liz has used funds Marg has raised to
repair the sewing machines and
purchase material. As well as learning to
sew, the children have made beautiful
beaded jug covers and knitted scarves.
Jacob, one of the teachers, has started a
poultry project so the children can learn
how to raise chickens and also “to enable
the kids to taste meat” (a rare delicacy in
Malawi). The chicks are kept warm with
a cleverly improvised heating system
using a charcoal burner.
Recently Jacob wrote to Marg: “This has
been possible due to the money you sent
us. The project seems to bear fruit. This
will assist the school so much. We are
thankful for the charity to the kids and
school.”
If you believe in the power of prayer,
please pray for the children and their
dedicated teachers.
Help us raise funds for EARS Inc. by
buying an Entertainment Membership
from EARS. For as little as $60, you'll
receive hundreds of valuable offers for
everything you love to do, and 20% of
every membership sold contributes to
EARS. To purchase membership through
Helen Bartlett, go to
www.entertainmentbook.com.au/
orderbooks/1836w36.
Book Membership has a small added
cost for postage. Digital Membership
can be easily organised online.
Entertainment Book
fundraiser
No. 19, 2017 ALL EARS
2
Farewell to Malawi
After living in Malawi and representing EARS Inc. for more than six years, the
Bartlett family last year, returning to their home in Ballarat in Victoria.
Having moved to Lilongwe to be missionaries with African Bible Colleges (ABC) in
August 2010, Peter and Bec established the first comprehensive audiology service and
custom-built clinic in Malawi, coordinated the development of the first audiology
training program, and facilitated outreach projects throughout the central and
northern regions. Ministering in other ways through various ABC programs and their
local church community, Peter and Rebecca and their daughters Jessica, Brianna and
Elouise had an impact in Malawi that was far-reaching.
For example, the HARK vehicle donated by Sound Seekers UK and audiotrailer
donated by Hear The World (HTW) Foundation allowed the ABC audiology team to
visit fifteen different locations in the last year to complete 1,684 patient
appointments, 169 of these to fit hearing aids. None of the patients in these villages,
hospitals and Schools for the Deaf would otherwise have access to audiology services.
Three of the four Malawians sent to Manchester successfully completed the course
work and returned in September - the first Malawian audiologists. The audiology
assistants at the ABC Hearing Clinic and Training Centre continue to attend to
hundreds of patients every month, with more actually seen on outreach than in the
clinic.
After such a long period of service on the mission field, it is never easy to say
goodbye. However, the arrival of UK audiologist Helen Brough in September, and
Australian audiologist Lois Grant with her husband Dr Ian Grant in October, means the
Bartletts know that their pioneering work is in very safe hands.
“Each of our three key elements of the EARS Inc. model - services, training and
outreach - continue to be developed, with the newborn hearing screening program
being initiated, the BSc audiology curriculum finally being officially approved, and new
outreach partners being added all the time,” said Peter. “They have taken the work to
a whole new level, and I am thrilled to know that they are bringing a greater sense of
professionalism and networking as they build on our foundation.”
Bec is going to Malawi in May to support Helen while Lois is back in Australia for the
birth of a grandchild, and Peter expects to visit ABC toward the end of the year.
Carrying on the work From Helen Brough, Audiologist, Malawi
The ABC hearing clinic work continues
to be challenging and fun. Coming up in
the next month we are running a two-
day intensive training programme for
nurses who do industrial hearing
screening at a sugar factory, we have a
three-day outreach to Kasungu, and
then the Arizona State University
students arrive for their annual Malawi
adventure, which will involve
outreaches in four different locations
over eight days. Lots of planning to be
done!
The newborn hearing screening pilot
programme is developing into quite a
major project, with a number of babies
requiring specialist testing. This testing
is very technically demanding, and it
isn’t helped by our frequent power
cuts. We have yet to diagnose any baby
with a hearing loss, partly due to the
relatively small number of babies we
have so far screened, and partly
because many families do not bring
their babies for the follow-up
appointments we arrange for them. The
staff are keen to gain the complex skills
required for diagnosing infants, and so
we persevere.
I have a particular interest in working
with people with learning disabilities,
and am pleased that we are
strengthening links with the Children of
the Blessings Trust which does amazing
work with children with multiple
disabilities.
(Continued on page 3)
Audiology Revolution in Malawi
Kamuzu and Alinane doing screening OAE's in the ABC maternity ward as part of the
newborn hearing screening program.
Peter Bartlett (5th from L), Helen Brough (7th from L) and Lois Grant (next to Helen) with current and past audiology students. The ABC clinic is in the background.
No. 19, 2017 ALL EARS
3
Lois has a particular interest in Early Intervention, supporting young hearing aid users in language development. She is currently
training two staff members in this, and it seems to be going very well.
I have been thinking this week of the ways of life here that would seem so strange in the UK.
Whenever you go out in the evening, you have to remember to put bugspray on your feet. Of course you do. No evening is
complete without the scent of ‘eau d’afrique’, as a friend calls it.
Today at the clinic we had a power cut and the back-up generator failed, so we ended up seeing a dizzy patient in the waiting
room. Then a child came in needing attention, so he was seen in our tech room (the only other room with natural light). Then
we had an important guest of the college come in, disturbing my consultation again, requiring a guided tour which I performed
using my otoscope (light to look in people’s ears) as a torch. Showing round a distinguished guest in the dark is run-of-the-mill
to us now. Patients generally seem remarkably unperturbed when the power goes out.
All in all I continue to be fascinated by the work here, with the endless challenges of complex patients, limited testing facilities
and an appointment system that’s only about 50% functional because many patients have no way of knowing what time it is.
(Continued from page 2)
By Dr Donna Carkeet, EARS Inc. audiologist and board member
For many children in Fiji’s special schools there is an incomplete diagnosis and only
partial understanding of the child’s difficulties. We were told that some children have
“been assessed”, but discovered this was usually done by a visiting team who could
only look in the children’s ears, not actually test their hearing.
EARS Inc. has been partnering with the Frank Hilton Organisation
(www.frankhilton.org.fj) to increase audiological services to children in Fiji. The
organisation’s goal is for effective and quality education for children with disabilities.
They have developed a multidisciplinary team to assist with the diagnosis and
rehabilitation of children in the schools.
As a part of this program, we have been training a few of their staff as well as
building up the skills of the local audiometrist Sevanaia Ratumaitavuki (note:
Sevanaia was trained by Donna in the Dominican Republic). We have currently fitted
over 20 children at the Hilton Special School and the Hilton Early Intervention Centre.
We have also been developing the knowledge of local professional and government
ministries. Recently we had the opportunity, with approval of the Ministry for
Education, to take our team from the Frank Hilton Organisation into other special
schools not under the organisation’s banner. We want to know how many children in
these schools require hearing aids and commence hearing aid fittings for these
children.
One school we attended was Gospel School for the Deaf. They have 58 hearing
impaired students, most of whom have never have had their hearing assessed. It was
great to see the newly-trained local team able to test children in the field and gain
valuable experience.
We are hoping to continue these screenings in all special schools on the main island
and I plan at least two more visits in 2017. Why not volunteer to come along?
Hearing screening program in Fiji Trivia in Tassie
By Gill Baker, Audiologist, Tasmania
How do you put the "fun" into
FUNdraising? Invite around 60
Tasmanians to attend a trivia event and
invite them to bring their own food,
wine and puns! In September 2016 a
small group of friends and I ran a
fundraising trivia night in our local area.
It went off with true Tassie style - both
stylish and proudly tacky! People
brought their own amazing Tassie
cheeses, wine and beer to share as well
as setting up their own "punny" (ie.
funny) themed teams: "Agatha
Quiztie" (Agatha Christie, 1930's
inspired), "We thought it was a
disco" (disco style), and "We are the
champions" (sporting theme with
general rowdiness). It was ridiculous,
informative and most of all fun.
Using materials provided by EARS, we
gave a short presentation about how
EARS sets up sustainable programs
around the world to benefit people
who are deaf or hard of hearing. Using
donated goods, there were five gift
hampers on silent auction as well as
custom made jewellery for sale. We
were able to raise over $1200 to
support EARs internationally and
people left better informed about
EARS, and how significant hearing loss
can be for people living in poverty. I
actually hate trivia, am terribly
disorganised, and have 2-year-old twins
- so if I can do it and have fun, so can
you! Just contact EARS for their Trivia
Quiz Kit to start planning your own
trivia night. Donna assessing a child’s hearing at a Fijian special school.
Fijian audiometrist Sevanaia is involved in the new program.
No. 19, 2017 ALL EARS
4
Help us help people hear If you’d like to help us achieve our mission...
• Become a member of EARS. See our website for membership forms.
• Donate money. Tax-deductible donations can be made through the GiveNow link on the Donate page on our website. Maybe consider a bequest to EARS.
• Donate audiological equipment and hearing aids (second hand is fine).
• Volunteer. We need hearing professionals to provide training and hearing services overseas. Technicians are also needed to check and calibrate equipment.
• Join our prayer support team. Contact our coordinator Jim Thompson: [email protected].
W: www.earsinc.org
T: +61 (0) 3 9654 5511—David Pither, President
A: Suite 302, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Keep in touch with latest happenings by becoming a ‘friend’ on the EARS Inc.
Facebook page.
EARS Inc. Volunteer Opportunities
Urgent Need in Fiji
Donna needs volunteers over the next few months to assist
with supervision of hearing screening at Fijian schools,
particularly for children within special education units. The
project also includes training teachers and parents at each
school.
Tele-Audiology Support
Donna needs experienced audiologists who would be able
to assist with supervision of ABR appointments via tele-
audiology. Ideally we would like someone who could
commit a couple of hours every Wednesday to provide
supervision and support via the Internet. This could be
during the morning session when patients are being
assessed or during the afternoon session to assist with
interpretation and reporting of ABR results.
Malawi
ABC Hearing Clinic and Training Centre (ABC HCTC) in
Lilongwe Malawi desperately needs servant-hearted
Christian Audiologists to finish the work that has been
started by Peter and Rebecca Bartlett, and currently
continued by Lois Grant and Helen Brough.
Since its initiation in 2010, this project has gone from
strength to strength, proving it is more about what you’re
willing to do, than what you’ve done before; and that it’s
not always about who you are now, but who you are
willing to become. With the approval in March by the
Medical Council of Malawi of the Bachelor of Science in
Audiology course at ABC, and an extension of clinic and
outreach audiology services, it is now more critical than
ever that we have audiologists in place to further develop
the project. The four year degree program begins in
August 2017, with audiology units beginning in 2018.
There are a lot of costs involved when making a significant
investment like volunteering in a developing country. To
make it easier, if you’ll commit to ABC for at least three
months, we’ll pay your rent. For a commitment greater
than six months, we’ll also pay half your airfare. And a 12-
month commitment comes with a fully paid return airfare,
and the best year of your life. We can also help you raise
funds, and pay a modest stipend if required.
Our donation boxes are finally ready! We would love to see them in waiting rooms of
hearing and medical clinics, maybe churches too.
Contact us if you want to know more.
By Judith Francis, EARS Inc. Volunteer
Co-ordinator
As always, volunteers are welcome most of the time. The project dates below are guidelines to encourage you to participate
and help with planning. If you are interested in volunteering overseas at other times, please let us know and let’s make a
plan! EARS Inc. is also looking for volunteers to assist with organisational tasks and fundraising within Australia. If you would
like to assist but are not able to travel at the moment, please also get in contact. All enquiries to: [email protected]