Women in Business Development Inc. (WIBDI) and Apia Protestant Church joined forces to celebrate
World Hearing Day on 3 March 2024 to change mindsets about deafness.
Celebrations at Apia Protestant Church started on Saturday with free hearing tests by SENESE and
the ENT Department of the Ministry of Health Samoa. Over 100 people had their hearing checked
and ears cleaned.
A nurse from the ENT Department of the Ministry of Health Samoa commented how it is important to
maintain good ear hygiene as infections can occur, which can cause hearing block or even loss of
hearing. There was also a team of hearing aid technicians from SENESE that gave 10 hearing aid
devices to people in need.
On Sunday, over 200 people gathered at Apia Protestant Church for a livestreamed church service.
Reverend Nuuausala Siaosi Siutaia dedicated his prayers and sermon to people with hearing loss.
He encouraged those who are suffering from hearing and ear problems to seek help from service
providers like SENESE.
The presentation by the Deaf Ministry of Apia Protestant Church started with wonderful, heart-felt
testimonies by two people who spoke about their lives as a deaf person. The Deaf Ministry also gave
a spirited performance combining dance and sign language to spread a message of confidence and
hope.
Another highlight was Reverend Nuuausala Siaosi Siutaia and his wife, Mrs. Malu Siutaia, cutting the
World Hearing Day 2024 cake to commemorate the special day.
“We are blessed and humbled by the engagement of the community in our World Hearing Day 2024
event. It would not have been possible without our donors and the many people who came together
as one family to organise the successful weekend,” said WIBDI Executive Director, Mrs
Adimaimalaga Tafunai.
“We wish to thank our partners and donors for supporting the event. These include Apia Protestant
Church and its Deaf Ministry, World Health Organization, World Hearing Forum, Coalition for Global
Hearing Health, Senese Inclusive Education, CARE Australia, Australian Aid, Australian NGO
Cooperation Program (ANCP) for Gender Equality, Ministry of Health Samoa, and Matniuel Screen
Printing & Signs.”