Today, 23rd February, 12 children came one step closer to being able to hear for the first time after being fitted with hearing aids bought through generous donation from Oman Oil Marketing Company SAOG (OOMCO), parent company of oil retail brand omanoil.

Watching over the lengthy process of fitting the hearing aids were members of staff from OOMCO who were able to see for themselves exactly how the money they had provided was going to help the children.

OOMCO Managing Director, Mike Wilson who had earlier presented a cheque to Mrs Bailey from Helping Hands on behalf of the hearing aid supplier Mr Sulieman, said, ”I, on behalf of Oman Oil Marketing Company, am delighted to be able to give this money to help these children. This small gesture from OOMCO will have a significant impact on the quality of their lives.”

Coordinating the process is Helping Hands, a network of volunteers based here in Muscat working with the local community. Providing hearing aids to children is just one of the many initiatives the network has lead or been involved in. Helping Hands work closely with the Al-Wafa centres for handicapped children located in the Sultanate. The need to provide children with hearing aids was identified when Helping Hands visited the Al-Wafa centres.

Ranging in ages between 5 and 16 years, the children present were from the Wilayat Ibra and had made the trip to Muscat especially for the fitting. The money donated by OOMCO was able to provide a total of 13 hearing aids. Ideally, a child would require two hearing aids, one for each ear; however, due to the number of children identified by the Al Wafa centres with impaired hearing, initially the project will ensure that each child receives one hearing aid. In time, once the children have adjusted to the world of sound and the project is able to obtain further funds, those needing the second piece will be able to receive one.

OOMCO have worked with Helping Hands on previous projects including the provision of a motorized wheelchair for a young Omani lady with cerebal palsy who had been housebound for years.

Helping Hands organization works tirelessly across the Sultanate coordinating money donations, goods or services in order to help those in need from supplying wheelchairs, toys and books to helping rebuild and restore homes that have been damaged due to floods in the interior.