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• Fri May 30 2025

For decades, thousands of Kenyans silently suffered from hearing loss, unaware that help was within reach

Dr Richard Mwangi, a passionate audiologist based in Nairobi, is changing that narrative, one patient at a time

From rural clinics to national advocacy, his work is restoring sound, dignity, and hope across the country

In a world where communication is at the core of human connection, sound becomes more than just a sense?it is a gateway to relationships, opportunities, and self-worth.

Mwangi's passion for audiology stems from his knowledge that people with hearing loss are often disconnected from the world around them. Photo: Doctors of Hearing.

Source: UGC

For Dr. Richard Mwangi, the lead audiologist at Doctors of Hearing, restoring the gift of hearing is not just a profession but a calling rooted in deep empathy, lifelong dedication, and a vision for inclusive healthcare.

Finding purpose in silence

Dr. Richard Mwangi?s journey into audiology began not with grandeur, but with a simple, powerful realisation?the profound and often invisible impact of untreated hearing loss.

While many people take hearing for granted, Mwangi became acutely aware of how its absence created emotional, psychological, and social voids in people?s lives.

?My inspiration came from recognising how untreated hearing loss impacts people's lives and relationships,? Dr. Mwangi recalls.

He added that people with hearing loss often become isolated, misunderstood, and disconnected from the world around them, a narrative he wanted to change.

In Kenya, where audiology is still gaining recognition as a crucial healthcare field, this calling meant navigating unfamiliar terrain.

It meant advocating for hearing health in a country where the subject is often overlooked until it becomes debilitating.

For Dr Mwangi, the journey has been anything but easy, but it has been profoundly fulfilling.

Mwangi (2nd left) listening to the congregation during his outreach event in Murang'a. Photo: Doctors of Hearing.

Source: UGC

Dr Mwangi's defining moment

Every career is shaped by moments of clarity, and for Dr. Mwangi, one such moment stands out vividly in his memory.

?Hearing loss disconnects you from the world?you can?t hear what people are saying, and you can?t respond to what you haven?t heard,? he says. ?But when you fit someone with a hearing device and witness the transformation?the expressions of joy, the tears, the realisation that they can re-engage with life?it?s incredibly humbling. That moment, for me, sealed my purpose.?

It?s a scene he?s witnessed countless times: someone hearing their child?s voice for the first time, laughing again with friends, or finding the courage to return to work.

The simplicity of those moments is matched only by their magnitude.

Restoring more than just hearing

One of the most impactful stories Dr. Mwangi shares is that of a high-performing financial analyst whose career came to a halt due to sudden hearing loss.

Once a confident media commentator and corporate strategist, the man found himself drowning in frustration, stress, and loneliness.

?He had visited several clinics before coming to us,? Dr. Mwangi explains. ?But he couldn?t get past the stigma of hearing aids. He feared judgment and questioned his professional future.?

What followed was a series of consultations, extensive counselling, and a heartfelt journey toward acceptance.

He reassured him that hearing loss wasn?t the end, which saw him eventually accept the use of premium hearing aids.

Six years later, that same analyst is once again thriving?his voice back on Kenyan television, his insights influencing markets, and his confidence fully restored.

?That experience is one of my proudest. We didn?t just restore his hearing?we helped him reclaim his identity.?

Mwangi (l) holds a consultancy session with one of the attendees at a past event. Photo: Doctors of Hearing.

Source: UGC

Stories of transformation by Dr Mwangi

At the heart of Dr Mwangi?s work are the lives transformed by sound.

During World Hearing Day in Murang?a county, he met Wanjiku Kamau, a 62-year-old grandmother who had resigned herself to the silence of ageing.

She had gone years without hearing her grandchildren laugh or converse, often pretending to follow conversations she couldn?t hear.

At the event organised by Doctors of Hearing, Wanjiku received a free screening and eventually got fitted with hearing aids. Her joy was immediate and infectious.

?I thought it was normal for old people to lose their hearing,? Wanjiku told TUKO.co.ke. "Now, I can hear my grandchildren call me. I feel like I?m living again."

Dr Mwangi helps Faith Kathambi

Then there is Faith Kathambi, a woman from Kisii who lived in near-total silence her entire life due to congenital hearing loss.

Her struggle with isolation worsened after a brutal attack following false accusations. She became known not for her resilience, but for her suffering.

Born with a hearing impairment, Faith had always needed people to speak very close to her to understand them. It made social life almost impossible.

Today, with her new hearing aids fitted by Dr Mwangi and his team, Faith is experiencing a world she never knew.

?People didn?t understand me, and I just stayed alone,? she shared. "I can finally hear birds, music, even conversations from across the room,? she said, smiling. ?I feel seen, heard, and included.?

Mwangi (r) fixes a hearing aid on Faith Kathambi after she was mistreated by a neighbour. Photo: Doctors of Hearing.

Source: UGC

The hearing health gap in Kenya

Kenya has made notable strides in hearing healthcare, but challenges remain, as many people don?t take hearing issues seriously until it?s too late.

Accessibility is one of the biggest hurdles. In rural areas, audiology services are virtually non-existent.

Long distances to clinics, lack of specialised personnel, and prohibitive costs of hearing aids create a major barrier.

?People often have no idea what options are available, and even when they do, they can?t afford them,? he notes.

Stigma is another formidable enemy. In many communities, wearing hearing aids is wrongly associated with disability or ageing.

This fear of judgment leads many to live in silence rather than seek help.

The road ahead

For Dr Mwangi, the mission is far from over. He dreams of a Kenya where hearing checks are part of school health programs, where the elderly are routinely screened, and where no one fears using a hearing aid.

?I want to see hearing loss treated with the urgency it deserves. I want people to know that help exists, and that losing your hearing doesn?t mean losing your place in society.?

His work is changing lives, one patient at a time?but he hopes the ripple effect reaches communities, policies, and generations to come.

In a world filled with noise, Dr. Mwangi continues to be a quiet force for change?amplifying lives, restoring hope, and ensuring that no one is left unheard.

?It?s not just about sound,? he says. ?It?s about dignity, confidence, relationships, and opportunities. Hearing gives people a voice?and that voice deserves to be heard.?

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke