{"id":16537,"date":"2025-04-19T22:18:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T22:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=16537"},"modified":"2025-04-22T13:22:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T13:22:25","slug":"somali-children-hear-for-first-time-after-saudi-funded-surgeries-in-nairobi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2025\/04\/19\/somali-children-hear-for-first-time-after-saudi-funded-surgeries-in-nairobi\/","title":{"rendered":"Somali children hear for first time after Saudi-funded surgeries in Nairobi"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI —<\/strong> Fifteen Somali children heard for the first time after undergoing life-changing surgeries in Nairobi to implant advanced hearing devices funded by Saudi Arabia\u2014a moment that brought sound, hope, and dignity to families long silenced by disability.<\/p>\n

The children, born with profound hearing loss, received state-of-the-art electronic implants funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The procedures, carried out by specialists in the Kenyan capital, represent a breakthrough for families who had long abandoned hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is about restoring dignity, identity, and possibility,\u201d said Somalia\u2019s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, who attended the launch of the treatment program.<\/p>\n

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center sponsored the surgeries, which provided the devices\u2014among the most advanced and costly models available globally.<\/p>\n

Somalia\u2019s embassy in Kenya facilitated the process, coordinating with Saudi officials, surgeons, and the children\u2019s families. Many of the parents had previously been told there was no viable treatment available in Somalia due to the lack of specialist care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese children were trapped in silence,\u201d Ambassador Jabril said. \u201cThis operation reopens doors that once seemed permanently shut.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also credited Dr. Aqueel bin Jam\u2019aab Al-Ghamdi, Assistant Supervisor General for Planning and Development at the King Salman Center, and Saudi Ambassador to Kenya Khalid A. AlSalman for their roles in delivering the support at a critical moment.<\/p>\n

In Somalia, children with disabilities often face stigma, exclusion from school, and a lack of healthcare infrastructure. Few can afford to travel abroad or the cost of high-end medical procedures.<\/p>\n

This initiative, while small in scope, has broader implications. It signals a shift in the humanitarian focus of Gulf countries from emergency relief toward long-term, targeted interventions\u2014especially in health and education.<\/p>\n

The children, once confined to a world of silence, now begin a new chapter\u2014hearing the voices of their loved ones and the rhythms of daily life for the first time.<\/p>\n

Source: HOL\u00a0 \u00a0Origin: view original<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI — Fifteen Somali children heard for the first time after undergoing life-changing surgeries in Nairobi to implant advanced hearing devices funded by Saudi Arabia\u2014a moment that brought sound, hope, and dignity to families long silenced by disability. The children, born with profound hearing loss, received state-of-the-art electronic implants funded by the Kingdom of Saudi …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16538,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-health-cluster","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t