JOSH Foundation in full JOSH to empower hearing-impaired kids in the pandemic
Mumbai: Hearing disability has been more noticeable than ever during the pandemic. The restriction to staying at home has made it evident that those who have a hearing disability need attention to their requirements. The authorities have understood the worrying issue and have initiated designing strategies to overcome this hurdle. In the words of Devang Dalal, “World will aspire to the beauty of kindness if we make specially-abled children equally inclusive in our society.”
JOSH foundation strongly backs hearing impaired children, with state-of-the-art medical technologies tied with a rehabilitation program. A movement founded by eminent ENT surgeon Dr. Jayant Gandhi and renowned audiologist Devangi Dalal. They believe that proper care and support for kids can surely help them to develop better responses and outcomes and allow them to feel inclusive. The movement is focused on assisting hearing-impaired children, motivated by the fact that scientific studies show that more than 95% of hearing-impaired children have some residual hearing. Josh foundation has so far distributed 1300+ digital hearing aids.
They continue to distribute hearing aids to underprivileged hearing-impaired children so that they don’t have to face the trouble during online classes and contribute effectively. 150+ digital hearing aids were given out by the Josh foundation during the pandemic.
On 23rd October JOSH Foundation took another round of distributing 35+ digital hearings with the support of Atos on stage and more than 135 in total. Chief guests for the event were Nasir Shaikh (Head – Human Resources), Murli Menon (CISO and Head CSR), Ami Kundan (Global Program manager), and Adesh Sarbhukan (Legal Head in India). Kids during the event recited poems, there were dance and elocution performances too. They aim to make the hearing impaired feel completely socially inclusive by creating awareness with the right and appropriate treatment plan. “With proper treatment given at the right time we are able to create asset rather than liability for these kids and by adding light on neo-natal screening (newborn hearing screening) we are bringing about mass awareness.” Dr. Jayant Gandhi.
JOSH has been working towards this cause for over 14 years supported by philanthropic donors, and NGOs. With their efforts, they want to eradicate the popular generalized perspective that any child with more than 90% of deafness who cannot speak or hear will have a below-average life and career. JOSH foundation establishes with every initiative and campaign that not only by providing digital hearing aids as per the need, but the suitable training also makes the child able to speak and hear as normally as each one of us and that will support the child’s career and ambitions.