Charity Partners:  Fletcher Chisalipo of Malawi

Here’s Fletcher Chisalipo.  A Malawian Audiologist who got in touch with Hearing Aid Recycling in late 2023.  Fletcher was trying to source hearing aids for children in rural Malawi who didn’t have any hearing aids.  He had been informed that a Malawian government procurement process could, even if successful, take 3-4 years.

We were so pleased to ‘hear’ from Fletcher.  We were delighted to be able to send him 500 Phonak Hearing Aids and over 1000 batteries.

Here’s Hearing Aid Recycling’s Co-Founder Zoe and Fin Spaargaren having a chat to Fletcher.  Finding how we might best be able to help him.

Fletcher is so inspirational.  We had such a fun time talking to him.  We are so grateful that he found the time to send us some more information about himself.  Telling us about his work and life in Malawi.

Here’s his brief(!) bio and some pictures of his work/life endeavours in Malawi.

Brief Bio

When I was growing up I really wanted to become a journalist.  My aspiration to become a journalist changed during my second year at ABC College. I met two Australian volunteers working as Audiologists at the ABC Clinic.  This marked the start of a shift in my career aspirations. Our friendship grew, and I found myself regularly visiting their clinic. In my free time, I assisted them by acting as an interpreter.  For the local Malawians, many of whom struggled with English. It was during this period that I realized that Malawi as a country did not have local Audiologists.

We were relying solely on these two experts. I also learnt that people with hearing loss in my country were not helped.  That there was no Audiology services in most hospitals. Understanding the country’s issues with hearing loss and ear health deeply affected me, igniting a passion for Audiology within me. I really wanted to help.

In my third year, with the help of those two friends, I started to study Audiology as a minor.  Ultimately deciding to redirect my career path toward becoming an Audiologist. The turning point came when I received a scholarship in 2015 to study Audiology at the University of Manchester. The intention was clear: return to Malawi and assume the responsibilities at ABC Clinic.   The Australians planned to return to Australia. My goal was to train local Malawians to increase the number of Audiologists in the country.

Upon completing my studies, I returned to ABC Clinic, serving as an Audiologist and an Audiology instructor. Our outreach programs significantly impacted numerous individuals.  Particularly those unable to afford private healthcare, as ABC Clinic, a mission private hospital, provided services at subsidized rates. Over eight years, the clinic expanded, extending its reach and impact.

Six months ago, the Malawian government invited me to join the Ministry of Health.  Giving me a task to establish an Audiology clinic at Mzuzu Central Hospital in the Northern region. This is the first time for an Audiology department to be set up.  I am the first Audiologist in the whole of the Northern region.  I agreed to join Ministry of Health.   It has been my desire to help people with hearing loss on a larger scale.  I knew that most poor people in Malawi go to government hospitals because of free services.  They cant afford to pay for the services in private hospitals.

However, upon arrival at Mzuzu Hospital, I discovered the absence of Audiology equipment. Faced with a lengthy government procurement process, which could take 3-4 years.  I had no choice but to start working using my personal basic equipment.  Most of the times, I am in the clinic and we also go out to do outreach ear clinics.  To make sure we are able give services to those who cannot travel to meet us due to financial challenges.

Two months ago, our team conducted the first Audiology outreach in remote areas of the Northern Region. We identified 72 children with varying degrees of hearing loss, predominantly moderate to profound, all in need of hearing aids. Despite the urgency, the hospital lacked hearing aids, and the parents couldn’t afford them. Determined to find a solution, I reached out to organizations inquiring about potential assistance to ensure these children received the hearing aids.  Enabling them to continue their education without hindrance. Most organizations rejected my proposal citing their inability to donate outside their respective countries.  A glimmer of hope emerged just two weeks ago. Zoe, thankfully, responded positively and expressed willingness to donate the much-needed hearing aids for these children. This news brought immense relief and renewed hope for me and mostly it should be to these children in need.

In Malawi, we have a lot of people, both adults and children, who require hearing aids but face financial constraints.  Preventing them from affording these hearing aids. It’s my fervent hope and prayer that this assistance continues to be available for those in need.  The ability to provide ongoing support would be an immense blessing to these individuals, significantly improving their quality of life.

Here are some pictures Fletcher sent us:

Relaxing playing football:

Spreading joy entertaining others with his band:

Teaching in his outreach clinic:

Working, carrying out a hearing test in Mzuzu region of Malawi:

Most excitingly, Fletcher and his colleague receiving the 500 hearing aids from Hearing Aid Recycling.

Oh, wait, was that the most exciting bit?  Maybe not!!  Here’s Fletcher fitting a recycled hearing aid, donated via Hearing Aid Recycling.

Actually, this is definitely the most exciting thing!!  A short video Fletcher made about the hearing aids arriving in Malawi!

THANK YOU!!

THANK YOU for reading this and thank you for helping us!!

We feel so passionately about Hearing Aid Recycling and all it can do to ‘help others hear’ around the world.  It’s so simple to donate hearing aids for hearing aid recycling by any of the following ways:

Drop them off

Post them in

Or get in touch with us and we’ll help you!

Again, if you have time, do please include a picture and note. We’ll pop our thanks and remembrance in the gallery!! We also love to let you know that they have arrived safely. Do please pop your contact details in too and we’ll do just that!