A Samoan woman will return home to become the nation's first local audiologist setting a precedent. She is currently studying at the University of Queensland finishing her Master of Audiology Studies.

Audiologists are healthcare professionals who diagnose, manage, and treat hearing, balance, or ear problems. They work in the field of audiology, which is the science of hearing and balance. They determine the severity and type of hearing loss a patient has and develop a treatment plan.

It was not easy for the mother of six. Sophia Auro Leota had to return to academic life after six years of inactivity in any field of study. But now she returns with a Master of Audiologist. 

“I haven’t studied for over six years, so needed the Introduction of Academic Program to prepare me properly for an academic life at UQ,” Sophia said.

“I arrived earlier than other international students to participate in the four-week academic intensive learning referencing, how to outline a program, planning, and academic writing, which was a wakeup call!

“I didn’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity, so I moved to Australia with my family back home helping my youngest child finish high school this year.

“After qualifying, I hope to return home and become a role model for young women, and I want to be a voice of this program.”

Sophia is all about service and wanting to give back to her community.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts (in early childhood), she undertook training at the National University of Samoa in special needs education. This led to an interest in children who are deaf. She became a teacher for one year signing using Auslan, which she learnt from an Australian volunteer.

“The deaf adolescents were the ones who taught me proper signing, like how to not use prepositions to communicate more quickly,” Sophia said.

"As an audiologist in Samoa, there will be no barriers for parents who came to get treatment for their deaf child, because I can communicate on another level both in their mother tongue and Auslan."

From teaching children with special needs to audiology, Sophia’s disability advocacy and qualifications will make her a leader in her field driving positive change in Samoa and beyond.

This was made possible through a scholarship by the Australian government.

For 30 years, The University of Queensland (UQ) has worked to upskill and empower future global leaders through the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS). 

The government-funded program, one of the most prestigious and generous scholarships in Australia for international students, exists to promote prosperity, reduce poverty, and enhance political stability.

Pacific Island countries have among the highest rates of ear disease and hearing loss in the world. In Samoa, approximately 40,000 children will reach school age in the next decade and, based on current service estimates, fewer than 20 per cent of these children will receive a routine hearing test. Fewer than five per cent of those with a hearing impairment will receive any hearing intervention or support. The impacts of unaddressed hearing loss or impairment on the inclusion and productive potential of Samoa’s population are profound.