The Hollywood Foundation and Star Factory Team Members unveiling refurbished Audiology Room and Admin Office to excited KwaThintwa learners
The Hollywood Foundation in partnership with Star Factory embarked on a Corporate Social Investment initiative where they journeyed to KwaThintwa to spread the spirit of Ubuntu, in support of the learners living with disabilities. On 3 August 2023, the KwaThintwa School for the Deaf received a visit from the Teams to unveil beautifully refurbished rooms.
The Purple Team visited the boarding school, which caters to 365 learners with hearing impairments from underprivileged communities in and around KwaZulu-Natal.
The school was established in 1981 by the late Bishop Dennis Hurley of the Roman Catholic Church and has become a staple in the community, driving the academic development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children from the age of three years, all the way to Matric.
The school also provides support to parents by providing a Sign Language class every term and working with hospitals in the community to bring Sign Language Development classes closer to their homes.
A critical part of the institution’s success is its ability to correctly assess each learner’s auditory status, in order to facilitate the correct treatment and referrals. The Hollywood Foundation was excited to partner with Star Factory to answer the school’s call for assistance, in renovating their Audiology Room and the Admin Office, which are used for the Diagnostic and Testing sessions.
Leticia Maharaj, Audiologist at KwaThintwa School for the Deaf, expressed gratitude for the much-needed contribution, and said, “These rooms are a critical tool in the assessment of our learners. We will now be able to assist our children and their families with dignity.”
