Overview

At the Centre for Healthy Start Initiative (HSI), our commitment to children with developmental disabilities includes a special focus on children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Through our humanitarian arm—Hearing International Nigeria (HING)—we deliver direct support, early screening, and assistive care to schools for the deaf, while advocating for inclusive hearing health policies at national and global levels.

Who We Are: The Legacy of HING

Hearing International Nigeria (HING) is a non-governmental organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria. Established in 1999as the Nigerian chapter of Hearing International (HI), HING was inaugurated by Professor Peter Alberti of the International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS).

HING has worked for over two decades to bridge the gap in hearing care services through local outreach, international research, and policy advocacy—all while serving some of the most underserved children in the country.

Our Core Objectives:

• Advocacy: To promote the public health importance of hearing care in Nigeria, in partnership with government and local stakeholders.

• Research: To support global efforts in hearing impairment prevention, detection, and rehabilitation across all age groups.

• Humanitarian Outreach: To provide free services and assistive devices to children in need.

What We Do

HING focuses on school-based screening, device support, and public awareness, with services tailored to children in schools for the deaf across Lagos and beyond.

Ongoing Activities Include:

• Routine hearing screenings in selected schools for the deaf

• Provision of hearing aids to eligible children at no cost

• Parent and teacher engagement to build awareness and reduce stigma

• Audiological assessments in partnership with certified professionals

• Follow-up and referral to health facilities for advanced care

HING also plays a leading role in shaping national conversations on the inclusion of deaf children in health and education systems.

Our Research Impact

HING has collaborated on groundbreaking research projects funded by international and national institutions, including:

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (Nigeria's First Pilot)

Early detectionThrasher Research Fund (USA)

BIND Score ValidationNeurological damage from jaundiceNIH (USA) Filtered Sunlight Phototherapy (FSPT)

TrialsTreatment for neonatal jaundiceETF (Nigeria)

These findings have been published in leading journals and have shaped global understanding of low-cost solutions in hearing and neonatal care.

Highlight: August 2025 Outreach Event

In August 2025, HING conducted a large-scale outreach program at [Insert School Name], providing:

• Hearing screenings for  children

• Free hearing aids toeligible recipients

• On-site caregiver training and community sensitization

Watch the recap video of the event below
Scroll through the gallery for behind-the-scenes photos and impact moments

Why It Matters

Hearing loss in childhood—especially when undiagnosed—can lead to lifelong disadvantages in communication, learning, and social integration. In many low-resource settings, children with hearing impairment remain invisible, untested, and unsupported.

HING and HSI are changing that—one screening, one child, one school at a time.

Get Involved

Whether you're a parent, health worker, donor, or advocate—there are many ways to support our work with deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

• Partner with us on school screenings or outreach

• Sponsor a hearing aid for a child in need

• Volunteer your skills (audiology, media, data collection, etc.)

• Donate to expand our work across more states