In an interview with MBC, Starkey Hearing Foundation’s Regional Coordinator for the Centre Grey Chisale disclosed that during the May visit to Malawi, Starkey had planned to distribute the hearing aids to 200 people with hearing loss.

“We announced that registration of beneficiaries will be held at Kamuzu Central Hospital but didn’t imagine the turnout will be overwhelming, ” said Chisale.

He said during the two days of the registration exercise held from 7 to 8 April, the number soared from 200 as per the organisation's plan to around 500.

However, Chisale assured those registered and their ear impressions taken, that they will be assisted.

“We had people from all over Malawi. We were so overwhelmed and it just goes to highlight the magnitude of the problem of hearing impairment in the country, but Starkey will manage to restore hearing to everyone on our list,” Chisale said.

So far charity distributed well over 8,500 hearing aids in Malawi where it is estimated that more than 560,000 people have hearing impairments.