Kisumu, Mombasa

One of the fastest growing cities in Kenya, Kisumu is located on the eastern bank of Lake Victoria. Its name is derived from the city’s rich trading history, which still impacts its livelihood today. With the expert help of our East Africa team coupled with local community partners, we were set up for success from the start.

We fit many incredible patients in Kisumu, but a trio of siblings pulled at the team’s heartstrings. Wicklif, 12, Daniel, 10, and Catherine, 8 — all of whom have hearing loss — were tragically orphaned as young children. Their adoptive mother brought them to the hearing mission in hopes that we could be the answer to her prayers. We were able to fit all three siblings, who were visibly overjoyed by experiencing the world of sound. Wicklif, Daniel and Catherine are looking forward to furthering their educations and reaching their dreams of becoming doctors, football stars or even future government leaders. With hearing, the sky is the limit!

Next we traveled to Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya.

Although there were many amazing patients in Mombasa, one group of friends particularly stood out. Thor, 20, Nicholas, 16, and Wilson, 20, captured our hearts with their friendship and laughter. All three received the gift of hearing and were able to hear each other’s voices for the first time. We watched them laugh at the sounds, and they told us that they want to study media and communication in Nairobi together. It was a powerful moment of connection through hearing, and we know it’s only the beginning of a brighter future for all three.

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Special Thanks

Professor Isaac Macharia; Serah Ndegwe