Helping Hearing Impaired Children Communicate

NEED

The World Health Organisation defines health as complete physical, mental and social well-being of an individual. With no visible symptoms, infant hearing loss often escapes early detection. While not life-threatening, left untreated this common impairment can pose a serious threat to a child’s quality of life by impacting negatively on her opportunities for education and employment as well as her ability to integrate socially.

Early intervention can help to prevent secondary complications often associated with hearing loss, such as delays in linguistic development. This is in line with government policy; the White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy calls for early identification of impairments and appropriate interventions within the primary healthcare system. However, without assistance from civil society, government is unable to implement a far-reaching early-detection and intervention system. There is thus a huge demand for civil society partners to assist with the implementation of this strategy.

OVERVIEW

The Carel du Toit Community Hearing Outreach Project (CHOP) offers a free hearing screening programme for children throughout the Tshwane and Metsweding (Refilwe) districts. Results of the tests are recorded as the testing occurs and follow up appointments are made for those with inconclusive or negative tests.

Families of children diagnosed with hearing impairments receive information about their child’s condition and support services from trained CHOP staff. Hearing aids and assistive devices are sourced for the children with hearing difficulties who, with the help of the correct equipment, can begin their journey towards improved hearing and communication.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• This organisation has a rich understanding of the need they are dealing with, informed by years of experience in working with the hearing impaired.
• The Carel du Toit Community Hearing Outreach Programme has a team of highly skilled individuals with highly specialised responsibilities.
• The organisation has excellent monitoring and evaluation systems as well as strong systems of governance.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

This project will directly benefit the 3688 children who will be tested for hearing impairments through the local clinics and schools. The children who are found to have hearing difficulties will be scheduled for follow-up visits and from there the necessary course of action for each child will be decided upon. This project will also indirectly benefit all of the children’s families – an estimated total of 15 808 people. In 2009 of the 600 new patients that were submitted for retesting 15 were found to be in need of hearing assistance. 6 received hearing aids, 3 were fitted with grommets and 6 patients had a Tympanoplasty Operation.

Through educating the parents about hearing difficulties the Community Hearing Outreach Project also aims to assist these communities in accepting people with hearing difficulties, thereby fighting the stigma that all-too-often accompanies hearing impairments.

ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

The Carel du Toit Centre - Pretoria was established in May 1996 to offer habilitation services to deaf children. The centre brings hope to deaf children who, after identification of their hearing disability, enter the extensive auditory- oral programme to teach them how to talk. The Carel Du Toit Centre adopts best practice techniques by not using sign language but instead using spoken language to teach children to speak and develop listening skills. This enables the children to ultimately enter mainstream schooling.

From the centre two community outreach programmes were developed namely the Community Hearing Outreach Project (CHOP) and the Parent Guidance Program. Their proven track record has resulted in partnerships with the private sector, government, the medical community as well as the civil sector.

The CHOP project has a proven track record. In 2008 over 1200 children were consulted with 850 new consultations in 2009. The children who were found to have hearing difficulties have either been fitted with hearing aids or have received a Tympanoplasty Operation.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: The procedure the project uses to assist hearing impaired children is well structured and aligned to best practice.
• Control: The Carel du Toit centre has engaged with many stakeholders as well as the community in ensuring that this project is implemented and managed in the best possible way.
• Design: The project is designed to reach children who otherwise would not have had access to this type medical testing.
• Capability: This organisation has a proven track record in implementing this type of project. They have a team of audiologists and therapists that work together in carrying out the objectives of this programme.

Key Risks - Low

• Sustainability: This organisation relies on donations to run its operations and currently only has sufficient reserves to support operations for 6 months.
• Design: This organisation needs to focus on increasing their follow up rate. Measures should be incorporated into the design of the project in order to ensure that more patients return for the scheduled follow up visits.

Project Profile BH-GP-MAR10-0003

Organisation: Carel du Toit Centre

Sector: Health

Project Duration: 12 months

Project Budget: ZAR 136 250

Shares Issued: 2725

Shares Available: 1408

Risk Assessment (0 to 5)

Concept: 1

Design: 3

Capability: 2

Control: 1

Sustainability: 2

External: 2

Organisation Rating (0 to 5)

Purpose: 4

Planning: 4

Performance: 0

Resources: 3

Governance: 4

Sustainability: 3

Project Budget

Project Sector

Health

While South Africans access to primary health care services has improved in the new democracy, we still face serious health care challenges that unacceptably burden the country and impact negatively on our social stability and economic potential. The Health Systems Trust reports that we continue to have unacceptably high levels of infant mortality and maternal mortality, and high rates of new infections with tuberculosis and HIV/Aids. The major health care challenge remains the provision of equitable, quality, integrated primary health care services that encourage community participation. This challenge includes interventions that address the health care needs of vulnerable children, people with high risk of HIV infection, people living with HIV/Aids, people living in rural areas, older people, people living in informal settlements, homeless people, women, people living with disabilities, low-income groups and previously disadvantaged groups.

The public health care system cannot currently meet these challenges alone, and multi-sectoral partnerships between government, non profit organisations, businesses and individuals are essential if we are to achieve and then sustain equitable, quality primary health care for all. Social profit organisations play a vital role in partnering with government to increase people's access to vital health promotion, education, services and programmes. Many of these projects focus on building the capacity of communities to prevent and combat the disease and ill-health that otherwise weaken the country as a whole.

Opportunities exist to invest in projects that promote community involvement in health care and education on healthy living and prevention of communicable diseases; that augment and enhance the government's provision of services in maternal health, child health, HIV/Aids prevention and treatment, STIs prevention and treatment, TB prevention and treatment, health care for the aged and health care for the disabled including rehabilitative services; and provide training, organisational development and other capacity building for primary health care workers, community health workers, community rehabilitative workers and community health organisations.

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SASIX Evaluation Metrics

The organisational rating

In partnership, Trialogue and The Funding Site developed an expert organisational capacity diagnostic test, which has been further refined by GreaterGood South Africa based on its consultations with Geneva Global and others active in this area. The result is a comprehensive evaluation and verification tool that GreaterGood South Africa uses to assess the capacity of non profit organisations according to both qualitative and quantitative metrics. The tool encompasses the purpose, strategy, performance, resources, governance and sustainability of the organisation and its activities. GreaterGood South Africa project managers are employed in the field to conduct the evaluations with the organisations implementing SASIX projects. The results of their findings are assessed through a peer review process, and then coalesced into the organisational ratings presented on the front page of each SASIX Project Profile.

The project risk assessment

In consultation with Geneva Global, GreaterGood South Africa uses a comprehensive risk assessment tool to evaluate target projects - a tool that encompasses the project's concept, design, capability, control, sustainability and external factors that will or may affect the successful implementation of the project. At the completion of the project, GreaterGood South Africa will issue a Project Performance Report that compares the actual life change with the expected life change forecasted on the front page of this profile. This report will also include the key lessons learned.

GreaterGood South Africa Services

Project identification - Through wide, expert consultation and screening processes, GreaterGood South Africa identifies top South African non profit programmes that address the greatest development needs in the country.

Site visits - In order to become a recommended SASIX project, GreaterGood South Africa's project managers must have seen the project first-hand and undertaken the necessary evaluation interviews with the project's implementer(s).

Desk research - International best practices and other references are used as benchmarks to measure the projects.

Peer review - Information gathered and project profiles are assessed through a peer review process.

Deal structure - GreaterGood South Africa's project managers work closely with the project implementers to establish the parameters with regard to the expected results, time-frames, monitoring processes, use of funds, budget and final evaluation.

When you invest in a SASIX project, GreaterGood SA will:

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Assist with funds transfers - GreaterGood South Africa will assist with the necessary transfers of funds, according to the funder's requirements.

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Check progress - At around 3 months, GreaterGood South Africa confirms that the project is proceeding according to plan. The project managers are available to project implementers for advice and consultation on an ongoing basis.

Measure results - After the conclusion of the project, GreaterGood South Africa collects the necessary data and compiles a Project Performance Report which includes an analysis of the outcomes and the lessons learned. Each funder of every SASIX project receives the report.

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To fund this project

Please contact: SASIX
Tel + 27 21 794 0580
Fax: 27 21 794 2239
Email: sasix@ggsa.co.za

Postal address: Postnet Suite 293, Private Bag X16, Constantia 7848, South Africa