Ankada is 20 years old and has been receiving care at Chingari from the age of 6 for hearing impairment. Her late father, Jameel, was a gas survivor.
When Ankada first came to Chingari she was not able to speak. She used signs to communicate and express herself, and her inability to hear meant that she had little understanding of what others were saying to her. The provision of digital hearing aids, audiometric training, and speech therapy at Chingari have been life changing for Ankada. Over time she began to hear and understand what people were saying to her and learned to speak at a level that allowed her to express her needs and feelings with others. Since we shared her story last year, Ankada has completed her course of speech therapy as both her hearing and speaking have reached a level where she no longer struggles to communicate.
Ankada also received special education at Chingari. Before attending, she was not able to go to normal school, as she struggled to write the numbers 1-10 or complete the alphabet. At Chingari she progressed quickly, learning to write the numbers 1-100, do basic maths, create arts and crafts, perform basic computer skills, and write the names of days, months and colours in Hindi and English. Once she could read fluently in Hindi she began attending regular school as well as the clinic. Since last year, Ankada has completed her education at Chingari and now attends regular school in year 10.
Like most young people at Chingari, Ankada loves the food served there, especially the Biryani, pasta and noodles and one day she would like to become an air hostess.
