General FAQs
Who are Sound Seekers?
Sound Seekers (The Commonwealth Society for the Deaf) is a registered charity that delivers practical solutions to support people with hearing loss in Africa (Malawi, Zambia, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Cameroon) by enabling access to hearing health care and education. Sound Seekers’ vision is an inclusive world where people with hearing loss have equal opportunities. In order to realise this vision, Sound Seekers partners with major hospitals and health service providers to improve the prevention, identification and management of hearing loss; with schools to improve the quality of education for children with hearing loss; and with communities and wider stakeholders to raise awareness of hearing loss and to advocate for equal opportunities for people with hearing loss.
Who are DeafKidz International?
DeafKidz International (DKI) is the global leader working to respond to the safeguarding and protection needs of Deaf, hard of hearing, deafened and DeafBlind (D/deaf) children and young people in low resource and complex humanitarian settings. It seeks to reduce the risk and vulnerability of D/deaf children to abuse through early detection and intervention. DKI works to ensure that D/deaf children and young people are able to live safely and without fear of stigma, discrimination and abuse in their communication mode of choice; sign language, sign supported spoken language, community ethnic sign, aural method and DeafBlind manual.
Why have Sound Seekers and DKI decided to merge?
The two charities will merge in order to combine the strengths, expertise and experience of each organisation, as well as to enable the pooling of available resources and to prevent duplication of programmes and services. The merger will harness synergies between different but related strands of services and programming and will enable the two charities to widen the scope of programming and geographical coverage. We are confident the merger will better serve our beneficiaries – D/deaf children and vulnerable D/deaf adults in low resource, developing and complex humanitarian settings.
What is the name of the new combined charity? What is the new combined charity’s registration number?
The new combined charity will be known as ‘DeafKidz International’ with charity registration number 115129.
Has Sound Seekers closed?
Sound Seekers as an independently registered charity will close in due course. This is because Sound Seekers and DKI have decided to combine as a single entity and be known as ‘DeafKidz International’. The new combined charity will continue the work of Sound Seekers and DKI as a combined and stronger force in the international deafness and hearing loss sector. The merger is based on shared vision and equal partnership, shaped by mutual respect for each other’s work and a mission to support deaf people in the developing world.
What will the merger achieve?
The new combined charity, DeafKidz International, will be able to respond comprehensively to the protection, health, education and wellbeing needs of D/deaf children, young people and vulnerable adults in low resource, developing and complex humanitarian settings. The merger will enable the new combined charity, DeafKidz International, to widen the scope of its programmes and its geographical coverage. DeafKidz International will combine the 60 years of history, heritage, expertise and experience of Sound Seekers with the passion and innovation of DKI, and position the new combined charity as a global leader in the safeguarding and protection of D/deaf children and vulnerable adults, in progressive ear & hearing care approaches which enable D/deaf children and adults to be fully participate members of their respective civil societies.
When do you merge?
Sound Seekers and DKI will become one combined charity on 3rd April 2020, under the legal name DeafKidz International.
DeafKidz International is a company limited by guarantee registered in England (07922360) and a charity registered in England and Wales (115129).
Will the new combined charity support adults?
Yes. DeafKidz International will support young people and vulnerable adults.
Who is on the Board of Trustees of the new combined charity?
Steve Crump (Chair)
Dr Liz Avital
Dave Weeds
Aarti Joshi
Christine McPherson
Ruth Wilkin
Emma Gilbert
David Greenberg (previously Trustee of Sound Seekers)
Eleanor Crossley (previously Trustee of Sound Seekers)
Who is the Chief Executive of the new combined charity?
Kavita Prasad, previously CEO of Sound Seekers, has been appointed Chief Executive of the new combined charity, DeafKidz International. For information on the rest of the DeafKidz International Executive team, please see here.
Where are DeafKidz International’s offices?
The registered office is currently 44 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 9QA. The correspondence address is:
DeafKidz International
Studio 410, Pelican House,
144 Cambridge Heath Road,
London E1 5QJ
Data FAQs
Why has Sound Seekers sent me a letter/email regarding my personal data?
Data protection and privacy laws require that we let you know what we do with your personal data, including when we share with, or transfer your personal data to, another party. As part of the merger, we will need to share the personal data that we hold about you with DKI. For the purposes of applicable data protection and privacy laws, the legal basis for the sharing of your personal data with DKI is that it is in the legitimate interest of Sound Seekers i.e. so that we are able to effectively and efficiently manage and administer the operation of the charity currently known as Sound Seekers, and which after the merger will be known as DeafKidz International.
Following the merger of Sound Seekers and DKI, the ‘controller’ of your personal data will be the new combined charity, DeafKidz International. This means that after the merger, DeafKidz International will be responsible for looking after your personal data and letting you know what we do with it. Accordingly, the new combined charity DeafKidz International will contact you shortly after the merger to provide you with an updated privacy statement. That privacy statement will include information about your rights under applicable data protection and privacy laws.
What do I need to do?
You do not need to do anything. Your personal data will be kept safe and secure.
Why are you contacting me when I asked you not to?
Even if you have asked us not to contact you for marketing purposes, we have a legal obligation to inform you about changes to the charity, which impact your personal data. As part of the merger, we will need to share the personal data that we hold about you with DKI, and it important that we communicate this to you.
I am a current supporter of Sound Seekers. Why haven’t I been contacted?
While we have gone to every effort to contact supporters who currently donate to us, if you haven’t heard from us, it is likely that we do not have your contact details and/or you give to us anonymously. Please contact us if you would like to be in touch, by emailing info@deafkidzinternational.org by post to:
DeafKidz International
Studio 410, Pelican House,
144 Cambridge Heath Road,
London E1 5QJ
What do I need to do if I have a Direct Debit / Standing Order?
You don’t need to do anything – your regular donation will continue to be made in the usual way. The merger will widen the reach of your support, and the need for your support remains as great as ever.
My address has changed / I’ve moved house etc.
It is important that we hold the most up to date and accurate information about you. You can tell us about any changes to information that we hold about you (for example, your new address) by emailing info@deafkidzinternational.org or by post to:
DeafKidz International
Studio 410, Pelican House,
144 Cambridge Heath Road,
London E1 5QJ
