Hearing loss affects more than 430 million people worldwide, but only 3% have access to hearing aids in low-income countries. Jordan has a difficult situation, as there are just 27 licensed audiologists to serve over 11.3 millions people. 3DP4ME (3D Printing For The Middle East), an organization that uses 3D printers and portable 3D ear scanners, is trying to solve this problem.
“For those living in low and middle-income countries, where audiologists are few and far between, access to treatment remains an expensive luxury,” says 3DP4ME Founder & CEO Jason Szolomayer, “Not being able to hear properly keeps children out of school, adults out of work, and traps families in never-ending cycles of poverty.”
Hearing Express was funded by Intel Accenture BASF in early 2023. By April, the NGO had installed 103 customized 3D-printed Phonak Hearing Aids of high quality and provided essential speech therapy to 52 children aged 6 to 12 years. The NGO can reach out to remote communities with the portable equipment and 3D printing because it is more cost-effective than the traditional method.
The impact of the initiative is huge. The impact of this initiative is significant.
3DP4ME in Jordan is the sole nonprofit that provides 3D-printed hearing aids at no cost or reduced costs for low-income communities. The NGO is planning to do a second round in 2023, and it’s exploring the possibility of 3D printing lower limb prosthetics.
If you’d like to support 3DP4ME, you can find more information here.