A lifelong Gift of Hearing for 2-year-old Hilma

Project Report: Fundraising Progress for Hilma's Cochlear Implant Surgery

We are thrilled to share that we have made significant progress in raising funds for a 2-year-old girl from Zimbabwe, who is awaiting a cochlear implant to help her hear for the first time. While we are still working towards our fundraising goal, but we are proud to report that we are now 80% of the way toward reaching the full amount needed for her procedure and follow-up care. This achievement is thanks to the generosity and support of donors from around the world, as well as multiple fundraising initiatives designed to raise awareness and resources for her journey to hearing.

Although our GlobalGiving initiative has not yet garnered as much traction as we had hoped, we remain deeply grateful for the contributions received so far. Every donation, big or small, has brought us closer to giving this little girl the gift of hearing and a brighter future.

With continued support and dedication, we are confident that we will reach our total goal by January 2025, if not sooner. We remain committed to seeing this project through and will continue to explore avenues for funding until we are able to provide Hilma with the life-changing cochlear implant she needs.

Several initiatives have contributed to our progress so far:

1. Community Fundraising: Our journey has been marked by incredible community efforts—both locally and internationally. From charity runs to online fundraising drives, supporters around the world have rallied behind our beneficiary's cause. One of the highlights was when Miss South Africa joined us for a special activation day with one of our child patients (she also wears a cochlear implant due to hearing loss). Her presence not only brought more attention to our mission but also gave a sense of privilege and pride to everyone involved.
2. Corporate Partnerships: We have established partnerships with several organizations/businesses that have committed to supporting our beneficiary’s campaign through donations. Their contributions have been invaluable in getting us closer to the final amount.
3. Crowdfunding: While the GlobalGiving campaign has not raised as much as we had hoped yet, we will continue to use it as a platform for global outreach. The contributions we have received through this platform have been appreciated, and we remain hopeful that more supporters will join as the campaign progresses.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed so far, and we will continue to work tirelessly until we have raised the full amount needed to give her the gift of hearing.

The impact of a cochlear implant cannot be overstated. Once we reach our goal and she undergoes her surgery, she will experience life-changing improvements in her ability to hear, communicate, and interact with the world around her.

In addition to fundraising for this initiative, we are proud to report that, so far in 2024, we have successfully assisted 22 other patients with cochlear implants and hearing-related support. Each of these individuals, ranging from young children to adults, has benefited from the life-changing technology that enables them to hear and communicate more effectively. We remain committed to our broader mission of improving the lives of people with profound hearing loss and will continue to provide cochlear implants and follow-up care to those in need.

This journey is not over for this little one yet. If you would like to help us reach this goal, we invite you to consider donating or sharing her story with your networks. Every contribution brings us one step closer to transforming her life forever.

Links:

• Miss South Africa, showed her support by visiting us
• 1-year-old girl hears sound for the first time
• We visit a local radio station to announce funding from donors