A SENESE-led hearing screening outreach was held on Thursday and Friday for all Marist Primary School students at Mulivai. 

The organisation's Hearing Services Team were responding to a request from school Principal, Brother Siaosi Ioane. 

All students who were discovered to have medical issues were referred to the ENT clinic for assessment and treatment, while other cases are supported by SENESE through complete hearing tests and hearing aid fittings. The screening aims for early detection and intervention to eradicate hearing complications which affects student participation in education and other aspects of life.

In an interview with SENESE Acting Director Sagato Vaoliko Konelio, he said that the Open Day hosted at Marist Primary School was an opportunity to combine efforts, and coincided with their screening taking place over two days at the central location. 

He said it was a golden opportunity to promote SENESE’s services and showcase their T.V.E.T Programme, and together with Loto Taumafai and Aoga Fiamalamalama, the students could exhibit, demonstrate and sell some of their own beautiful expression and creations. 

Konelio acknowledged the representatives from their partner Ministries, Organizations and schools. 

“SENESE is grateful to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture for their ongoing support in our effort to include children with disabilities in our education system. SENESE also wishes to express gratitude in a special way to special partner, Civil Society Support Program (CSSP), for the support through funding resources and equipment that help us develop God’s Gift in our students," he said. 

"And to the Marist Brother school community, thank you for acknowledging our service and for opening your doors to us. In doing that, we are sincerely grateful and we celebrate with you, we celebrate with them, we celebrate with our students.”

According to the C.S.O. Capacity Development Coordinator for C.S.S.P, Aliitasi Sinclair, support for the Open Day activities was provided as part of the Strengthening Services in SENESE project grant. 

The Open Day was one of the activities under the project which is comprised of three major components: hearing services, speech and language therapy and vocational and lifelong learning, she confirmed via email, adding that the project aims to strengthen the three components of SENESE services for persons with disabilities. 

"The artwork, handicrafts and carvings demonstrated at the event, showcased the tremendous impact this project has on its beneficiaries. It also underpins CSSP’s goal of ‘improved quality of life for people in Samoa through effective and sustainable civil society organizations’," wrote Sinclair in response to a request for more information. 

The project, expected to end in July, is funded under the Australian Government's DFAT by way of the C.S.S.P., with a grant of $173,000 tala.