A ROMFORD business is helping to build a school for deaf children in Africa.

The Specsavers hearing centre in South Street is raising money to help fund the Kilifi School which is being built in Kenya.

Anita Ramdoss, a hearing aid audiologist at the shop, said; “The majority of us assume that hearing loss and deafness only really affects older people but in countries like Kenya many children are left deaf or hard of hearing due to malaria or other infectious diseases.”

In addition to selling pin badges featuring the cartoon character Miffy on behalf of Sound Seekers, the charity behind the school, Romford Specsavers is also asking people to donate any unwanted hearing aids.

These can then be reconditioned and used by children at the school.

Miss Ramdoss said: “By supporting Sound Seekers we can play a major role in finishing the deaf school and providing a future for these children through education.”

Gary Williams, chief executive of Sound Seekers, said: “Very few of us realise that there are more than 625,000 people in Kenya that suffer from some form of hearing loss and only one in 40 have a hearing aid.

“We’re very lucky in the UK that we can get a free hearing test and help on the high street, as well as through the NHS.

“Working with Specsavers hearing centres, we’re hoping to raise �35,000 in the next two years to complete the Kilifi School, which will provide a solution to the issues these children face, plus an education, which will help them to live their lives to the full.”

Donations to the building of the Kilifi School can be made through Specsavers in Romford.

For more information on Sound Seekers visit www.sound-seekers.org.uk.