The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC), received, last Friday (31), representatives of the Hear the World Foundation, an international institution focused on expanding access to audiological services in low and middle-income countries. The visit aimed to learn about the actions developed by ISD in the area of children's hearing health and to strengthen strategic partnerships focused on hearing rehabilitation and professional training in Rio Grande do Norte.
During the meeting, the group visited the facilities of the Anita Garibaldi Center for Education and Research in Health (Anita) and the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS). Discussions covered topics such as childhood hearing assessment and rehabilitation, training of professionals within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), and technological innovation strategies to expand access to audiological services in the state. Presentations were also given on the health education practices developed by the ISD, as well as research conducted in the areas of neuroscience and neuroengineering.
The visit included representatives from the foundation Elodie de Warlincourt (Managing Director) and Jacqueline Brittany Drexler (Audiologist), accompanied by researchers Sheila Balen, Joseli Brazorotto, and Aryelly Nunes from the Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health (LAIS/UFRN), a partner institution of the foundation in Brazil.
Representing ISD were Edgard Morya, manager of IIN-ELS; Samantha Maranhão, coordinator of health education activities at ISD; and speech-language pathologist preceptors Gizele Nascimento and Rogéria Dias.
Hear the World Foundation's activities in Brazil
The Hear the World Foundation's mission is to ensure that children in low- and middle-income countries have access to quality audiological care, acting on the conviction that good hearing is essential for full development and social inclusion. In 2024/2025, the institution supports 14 projects in 13 countries, with a total investment of 10.2 million Swiss francs, benefiting more than 3,000 children and training nearly 5,000 hearing health professionals worldwide.
In Brazil, the foundation works in partnership with LAIS/UFRN and the Brazilian Academy of Audiology (ABA), focusing on strengthening the network of child hearing care in Rio Grande do Norte. Actions include training professionals, strengthening referral centers – including the Santos Dumont Institute, the SUVAG Center, and CERAE – establishing an ear mold laboratory, providing telehealth services, and donating hearing aids and remote microphones to children from low-income families.
The joint effort aims to reduce regional inequalities and promote sustainable care models, integrating technology, training, and public policies to ensure early diagnosis and intervention.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
