On 26 August, PEN-International Director DeCaro met in New York City with Dermot Hurly M.D., International Executive Director of the Philanthropic Relief, Altruistic Service and Development Project to discuss potential collaboration in Russia. The PRASAD project currently works in Krasnodar with the Center for Deaf and Near Deaf Children. Krasnodar is one of the cities where PEN-Russia is currently considering expansion.
As a first step in collaboration, PEN provided Dr. Hurly with more than 50 hearing aids that had outlived their usefulness at NTID but which could be used to great benefit by those being served by the Krasnodar Center. These hearing aids will need technical expertise to ensure that they are properly adapted for the children who will use them in Krasnodar. To this end, PEN will work with Dr. Alexander Stanevsky of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University to assure that the aids are dispensed and fitted properly. Once Dr. Stanevsky works with Krasnodar to establish good fitting and maintenance practices, Dr. Hurly will forward the hearing aids to Krasnodar.
