Chinese, US charities launch hearing-aid donation

BEIJING -- Charity foundations from the United States and China are to jointly carry out a 10-year program to help Chinese with hearing loss.

The Audiology Development Foundation of China launched the initiative on Friday with the American Starkey Hearing Foundation, which will provide hearing-aids for free.

The first phase of the program will be implemented in west China's cities of Xi'an and Chengdu, where more than 6,000 hearing-impaired people will receive custom-made hearing aids.

According to Tao Siliang, chairman of the Audiology Development Foundation of China, it has been the largest hearing-aid donation from overseas to China since 1949.

The American Starkey Hearing Foundation has specialized in providing free assistance to hearing-impaired people in poor families since its founding in 1973.