“She’s already started talking”: 6-year-old Diana from Melitopol received hearing aids provided by Rinat Akhmetov Foundation

Diana’s family are internally displaced from Melitopol. When the girl was three years old, her mother noticed that her child hardly made any sounds and did not react at all to loud explosions. Later, doctors diagnosed her with a hearing impairment. Recently, 6-year-old Diana received hearing aids from Rinat Akhmetov Foundation that are adjusted to the child’s needs.

The devices that Diana will wear are state-of-the-art, says Halyna Ivashchenko, a hearing aid specialist at the Hearing Centre. They improve the quality of hearing, as well as provide comfort and ease of use. In particular, this hearing aid will help the girl to hear high frequencies – sounds that she could not even recognise before. Now the girl will be able to explore the world in a new way.

“The child will hear the entire spectrum and range of sound. The device additionally amplifies high frequencies, fitting her audiogram. That is, it will be convenient and comfortable for her. Thanks to the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the child will be able to hear. All her cognitive functions will develop normally”, explains the hearing aid specialist.

Diana’s mother, Hanna, does not hold back her emotions: finally, her daughter will be able to communicate with her peers. This was her biggest dream – to be heard and understood. The most important thing ahead is preparing for school. In September, Diana will enter the school for the first time. It will be a real step into a new life for her.

“I am very grateful to the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation for helping such children. I think these amounts are very significant for any average family. Now we want to get her adapted as soon as possible. She has already started to speak better with the device. The sooner we start doing this, the better she will be able to prepare for school”, says Hanna.

Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Now I Can Hear project provides assistance with hearing aids to children with hearing impairments under the age of 7 who live or have lived in territorial communities in the areas of hostilities, occupation or encirclement.

In total, 5 million children received comprehensive support under the “Rinat Akhmetov to Children” programme. “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Help that gives tomorrow!”

If there is a child among your relatives or friends who needs hearing prosthetics, please call the toll-free hotline 0 (800) 509 001 (Monday to Friday) or write to the Foundation’s messenger https://m.me/AkhmetovFDU