Women in Business Development Inc. (WIBDI) and Apia Protestant Church joined forces to celebrate World Hearing Day on March 3, 2024, to change mindsets about deafness.
Celebrations at Apia Protestant Church started on Saturday with free hearing tests by SENESE and the ENT Department of the Ministry of Health Samoa. Over 100 people had their hearing checked and ears cleaned.
A nurse from the ENT Department of the Ministry of Health Samoa commented on how it is important to maintain good ear hygiene, as infections can occur, which can cause hearing blockage or even loss of hearing.
There was also a team of hearing aid technicians from SENESE that gave 10 hearing aid devices to people in need.
On Sunday, over 200 people gathered at Apia Protestant Church for a live-streamed church service. Reverend Nuuausala Siaosi Siutaia dedicated his prayers and sermon to people with hearing loss.
He encouraged those who are suffering from hearing and ear problems to seek help from service providers like SENESE.
The presentation by the Deaf Ministry of Apia Protestant Church started with wonderful, heartfelt testimonies by two people who spoke about their lives as a deaf person.
The Deaf Ministry also gave a spirited performance combining dance and sign language to spread a message of confidence and hope.
Another highlight was Reverend Nuuausala Siaosi Siutaia and his wife, Mrs. Malu Siutaia, cutting the World Hearing Day 2024 cake to commemorate the special day.
“We are blessed and humbled by the engagement of the community in our World Hearing Day 2024 event. It would not have been possible without our donors and the many people who came together as one family to organise the successful weekend,” said WIBDI Executive Director, Mrs. Adimaimalaga Tafunai.
“We wish to thank our partners and donors for supporting the event.
These include Apia Protestant Church and its Deaf Ministry, World Health Organisation, World Hearing Forum, Coalition for Global Hearing Health, SENESE Inclusive Education, CARE Australia, Australian Aid, Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) for Gender Equality, Ministry of Health Samoa, and Matniuel Screen Printing C Signs.”