Dell South Africa Development Fund give Elana the gift of hearing.
Dell firmly believes in investing in communities to create positive transformations. A percentage of every Rand spent by a Dell customer goes towards the Dell South Africa Development Fund.
According to Natasha Rueben, head of transformation at Dell, “Dell’s initiatives are aimed at providing previously disadvantaged individuals with a means of becoming economically active, focusing on activities addressing support in terms of healthy, literate and connected communities. Thus, when we received Elana’s application, we felt compelled to assist her. We recently received her six month report and are delighted that the speech processor has been a life changing experience for Elana.”
Elana had been using her old speech processor for 10 years and an upgraded one was long overdue. There had been numerous technological advancements and thus Elana knew that a new processor would improve her quality of life tremendously. She is completely reliant on her speech processor and is unable to hear and communicate without a functional speech processor. The upgrade did not involve any surgical procedure, only an external speech processor that she would need to wear. A new speech processor costs R76 650, this was not within the means of Elana’s family so they embarked on a fundraising campaign. She appealed to approximately 90 companies for assistance and within two weeks the Dell South Africa Development Fund said that they would invest R76 000.
“I was so overwhelmed and did not expect it to happen so fast. I was so excited that I even started to choose a colour for my new speech processor. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dell Computers for their support and generous donation of R76 000 towards my new speech processor which has made a life changing experience as I am able and communicate better with my family and friends. On Monday, 12th of March 2012, my audiologist, Jenny Perold switched on my new speech processor, and when she started talking, it sounded very different compared to my old one. The old processor sounded like seeing through a clouded glass and when the new one was switched on it was like seeing through a clear glass,” said Elana.
Elana adds, “What really stood out for me was being able to hear my own voice like never before. WOW, I was so amazed when I heard myself talking. I immediately started to correct words which I was pronouncing incorrectly. My family noticed immediately that I now speak a lot slower and clearer. If Dell did not make this possible for me I would not have had this life changing experienced.”
“Many of us take the pleasure in a silent moment, to enjoy a few minutes of quiet time from the constant noise of our daily living and to be grateful for the things we have been blessed with in our lives. However, there are some of us who given the chance to choose between silence and sound, would not hesitate choose to hear constant sound. I am one of those,” concludes Elana.
