Since 2003, the OED Kenya and our partner organizations:
Operation Ear Drop Kenya (OED-K) is a charitable organization founded to provide preventive, surgical and rehabilitative services to Kenyans with hearing problems with emphasis on underprivileged children. OED Kenya targets those Kenyans that are unable to access these services due to financial problems, unavailability of specialized services in their areas, and/or lack of appropriately trained health workers.
Operation Ear Drop was originally founded in the Netherlands in November 1983 with the aim of providing free ear operations to needy children in Kenya. A local chapter, OED-K was formed in 2003 to take care of activities in Kenya. Initially, the program was providing free ear surgery for needy children in Nairobi Hospitals using volunteer ENT specialists from the Netherlands. Thereafter a hearing health and rehabilitation program was started, which included distribution of hearing aids to schools for the deaf as well as training teachers of the deaf in the making of ear moulds for their pupils. Operation Ear Drop Kenya has successfully provided service to improve the lives of thousands of hearing impaired children in Kenya for over 25 years. OED-K has expanded its activities to include:
– School hearing health programme in Informal settlements in Nairobi in Collaboration with Nairobi City County.
– Free ear surgery sessions at the Kenyatta National Hospital and Nazareth Hospital Mumias, four times a year.
– Training of ENT doctors in ear surgery.
– Provision of ear surgery equipment to Kenyan Public Hospitals.
– Monthly Rural Surgical Outreach Program
– Screening of noise induced hearing loss, health education and provision of ear protectors to Jua Kali artisans in collaboration with the Retirements Benefit Authority.
– Provision of free quality hearing aids to hearing impaired children in partnership with Starkey Hearing Foundation.
– World Hearing Day Campaign – Awareness campaign on hearing
