SHRUTI – National Association of the Hard of Hearing and Deafened, Nepal, has been working for the past 13 years to promote the rights, inclusion, and accessibility of people with hearing loss. Recognizing that hearing loss can significantly affect children’s speech, language, learning, and social development, SHRUTI continues to advocate for early identification and timely intervention. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 5% of the world’s population, approximately 34 million children and 432 million adults, live with disabling hearing loss, making awareness and early detection essential.

In collaboration with Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 4, SHRUTI has launched an Ear Screening and Hearing Health Awareness Program aimed at improving hearing health and early identification of hearing difficulties among children. The program includes ear and hearing screening for students in all four public schools, as well as orientation sessions for teachers on hearing health, early identification of hearing loss, and classroom support strategies.

In addition, awareness sessions will be conducted for teachers from two private schools and community members in two local communities within Ward No. 4. Through these activities, SHRUTI aims to increase public awareness about hearing health, strengthen support systems for children with hearing loss, and promote more inclusive educational and community environments.