In a hospital in Reyhanli, Turkey, near the Syrian border, a remarkable transformation is taking place. Syrian refugee children, many of whom have never heard a sound, are receiving cochlear implants thanks to a Saudi Arabian humanitarian initiative.
The project, run by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), aims to provide cochlear implants to at least 940 children over two years. This £10 million effort is bringing life-changing technology to those who would otherwise have no access to it.
Six-year-old Malek and her seven-year-old sister are among the first recipients. For their mother, Fatma Abbas, it’s the culmination of a five-year wait. The impact is profound, not just for the children but for their families who have endured the hardships of war and displacement.
The program goes beyond simply providing the implants. It includes ongoing support, therapy, and maintenance, ensuring the children can fully benefit from their newfound ability to hear. In an article in The Telegraph, Dr. Samer Al-Jutaily of KSrelief emphasized the transformative nature of the project, noting how it changes a child from being unable to hear or speak to having the potential for a normal life.
While the project represents a significant humanitarian effort, it also underscores the complex geopolitical landscape of the region. Saudi Arabia’s aid serves as a tool for international influence, while Turkey grapples with hosting the world’s largest refugee population amidst economic challenges and rising tensions.
Despite these complexities, the focus remains on the children whose lives are being changed. As one mother, Maysa Ali, said of her son’s implant in an interview with The Telegraph, “The most important thing for me is that he gets better and starts hearing.”
Read the full article by Nataliya Vasilyeva in The Telegraph: Why Saudi Arabia is spending millions on hearing aids for Syrian refugees
Read these articles about KSrelief’s work with deaf children in the Middle East:
- KSrelief Rehabilitates the building of Rawdat Al Manar School for Deaf Children in Yemen
- KSrelief Project Provides Hearing Aids to 300 Hearing-impaired Students in Yemen
- KSrelief Distributes Digital Hearing Aids to Students with Hearing Impairments in Aden
Watch this video to learn more about KSrelief and its work with UNICEF: