About Us
Since its inception in 2000 hitbtc , Help the Children Hear has helped hundreds of hearing-impaired children in struggling communities of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, the Dominican Republic and the Philippines.
In the Beginning
In 1999 during a visit to her daughter, Amanda in the Youth Exchange Program abroad in Argentina, Kathy Abbiate met host father, Tony Muntaner whose commitment to his country’s children became the basis for Help the Children Hear (HTCH). Kathy like Tony was moved by the unparalleled number of children in the region who were unable to hear due to illness, genetic deficiencies and impoverished conditions. Mrs. Abbiate took Mr. Muntaner’s project proposal back to the US, where Dr. David Gurian, an audiologist, joined the cause.
Together, the three founders engaged the Rotary International network to create the 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation. In its first five years HTCH delivered over 650 hearing aids to the children’s hospital in Tucuman, Argentina, Hospital del Ni“o Jesus and neighboring Argentine communities -- Santa Maria and the province of Mendoza. And it continues to do so.
Founders
At the dawn of the 21st Century, the founders of Help the Children Hear started what today continues to be a thriving organization. They have always focused their work on making a difference by helping children hear in order to learn, grow and live full lives.
Did you know?
Challenges
- New global estimates by the World Health Organization are that more than 360 million people in the world have disabling hearing loss. 32 million of them are children under the age of 15 in low- and middle-income countries
- A child’s hearing aid lasts only one year as children outgrow the hearing aid mold.
- Typical hearing aid batteries last between only two and four weeks.
Solutions
- Half of all cases of deafness and hearing impairment are avoidable through primary prevention.
- 100’s of volunteers have participated in Help the Children Hear programs.
- 1,000’s of hearing aids have been recycled through our Hearing Aid Recycling Program.