Fundación Oir es Vivir

What Fundación Oir es Vivir does

Fundación Oír es Vivir is a Panama-based non-profit foundation founded in 2008 with the mission of detecting early hearing loss and providing hearing solutions to underserved populations. The organization operates a fixed-site audiology clinic in Panama City offering diagnostic services (neonatal hearing screening, otoacoustic emissions, impedanciometry, audiometry, evoked potentials), ENT consultations, and speech/language therapy for children aged 18 months to 8 years. Its core technology is standard audiology equipment deployed in clinical and mobile configurations rather than proprietary software systems.

The foundation's go-to-market relies on four distribution channels: a fixed clinic, a mobile school program (Aprendo Escuchando), a mobile corporate program (Programa Empresarial Móvil), and rural/indigenous health tours (Giras de Salud Auditiva). The Hearing Aid Bank (Banco de Audífonos) provides low-cost and free programmable hearing aids to qualifying low-income individuals, while an online store sells gift certificates ($25–$100), hearing aid batteries ($5), and an educational children's book ($5). In 2025, the foundation served 8,294 beneficiaries across all programs, performed 2,519 hearing tests, fitted 388 hearing aids, and delivered 1,806 language therapy sessions.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model: individual and corporate donations (primary), low-cost hardware sales, gift certificate sales, and clinic service fees. Corporate partners effectively pay for workplace screenings via tax-deductible donations. The foundation is a member of the WHO World Hearing Forum and participates in global hearing health initiatives, including the 2026 launch of WHO's WHOears app and annual World Hearing Day campaigns with major Panamanian institutions. Cumulative impact since founding stands at over 45,000 beneficiaries served across 18 years.

Name

Fundación Oir es Vivir

Legal name

Fundación Oír es Vivir

Website

https://fundacionoiresvivir.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fundación Oír es Vivir is a Panama-based non-profit foundation founded in 2008 that delivers audiology services, hearing aids, and speech therapy through a fixed clinic and mobile programs serving children, adults, rural, and indigenous communities across Panama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hearing Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAFAKAC

Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription)

Education/Education Technology (EdTech) & Digital Learning/Accessibility, Assistive Technology & Special Needs EdTech

Keywords

• Hearing healthcare services
• Audiology diagnostics
• Hearing aid bank
• Speech language therapy
• Mobile hearing screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Panama City

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual and corporate donations. Corporate partners donate in exchange for employee hearing screenings and receive tax-deductible receipts.
2. Hearing Aid Sales: Low-cost programmable hearing aids sold with payment plan options. Free hearing aids provided to individuals who qualify through a needs-based protocol.
3. Gift Certificates (Certificado de Regalo): Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100. Proceeds support hearing health services for those in need.
4. Clinic Services: Clinical services including audiology evaluations, language therapy, ENT consultations, and hearing tests generate revenue through service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundación Oír es Vivir operates an audiology clinic in Panama City providing diagnostic hearing evaluations, programmable hearing aid fitting, ENT consultations, and language evaluation and therapy for children and adults. It complements clinic-based services with mobile hearing screening programs that bring services to schools, workplaces, and rural and indigenous communities, and runs a hearing aid bank that supplies low-cost and free devices to qualifying low-income individuals.

Product overview

Fundación Oír es Vivir is a non-profit foundation providing a comprehensive suite of hearing health services and programs in Panama. The organization operates a clinical audiology division offering diagnostic services (neonatal hearing screening, otoacoustic emissions, impedanciometry, audiometry, and evoked potentials) alongside ENT medical services and speech/language therapy for children. Its social programs include a Hearing Aid Bank providing low-cost and free hearing aids, mobile school and business programs bringing hearing exams directly to communities, and hearing health tours for rural/indigenous populations. The foundation also provides educational resources including adult and child hearing tests, and operates an online store selling hearing aid batteries, educational materials, and gift certificates. All services are coordinated under the 'Regalo del Sonido' (Gift of Sound) umbrella, with the organization leveraging both clinic-based and mobile outreach delivery models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Regalo del Sonido (Gift of Sound): The foundation's primary program brand for donating hearing solutions and transforming lives through hearing health.
• APPARLAR
• Programa Empresarial Móvil Oír es Vivir
• Programa Escolar Móvil Aprendo Escuchando
• Giras de Salud Auditiva
• Banco de Audífonos

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,294 beneficiaries served in 2025 alone across all programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Health Organization (WHO) — World Hearing ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Fundación Oír es Vivir is a member of the World Hearing Forum (WHF) and participated in the global launch of WHO's WHOears app for early hearing loss detection, representing Panama at this worldwide milestone. The foundation leverages WHO frameworks and global standards for hearing health as part of its alignment with international best practices.
• Panama Canal Authority (ACP)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2025ACP participated in the World Hearing Day lighting campaign alongside the foundation, illuminating its facilities to raise public awareness about hearing health in Panama.
• Banco Nacional de PanamáminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2025Banco Nacional de Panamá illuminated its building in support of World Hearing Day, aligning with the foundation's campaign to increase awareness of hearing health in Panama.
• Tribunal Electoral de PanamáminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2025The Tribunal Electoral participated in the World Hearing Day lighting initiative, helping amplify the foundation's message about hearing health prevention and hearing tests.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hear the World Initiative (Sonova consumer-facing program): Sonova-led global initiative combining awareness campaigns, hearing screening, and hearing aid provision. Comparable in combining public awareness (e.g., World Hearing Day activations) with subsidized service delivery models.
• Cochlear Foundation: Non-profit associated with Cochlear Limited focused on hearing implants and hearing health access. Comparable as a manufacturer-backed foundation funding hearing solutions, screening programs, and awareness campaigns globally.
• Sonova Hear the World Foundation: Non-profit arm of Sonova (global hearing aid manufacturer) supporting hearing healthcare projects worldwide. Directly comparable as a hearing health foundation providing audiology services, hearing aids, and education to underserved communities.
• Starkey Hearing Foundation: US-based non-profit foundation distributing hearing aids and providing hearing healthcare to underserved populations globally. Directly comparable mission (Gift of Hearing) and operating model of subsidized/free hearing aid distribution plus screening programs.
• World Wide Hearing (International Humanitarian Hearing Aid Foundation): Non-profit organization focused on providing affordable hearing aids and hearing healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. Directly comparable in mission, target beneficiaries, and affordable hearing aid distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International Foundation (Hearing Programs): Global service organization with large-scale hearing aid recycling, screening, and hearing health programs. Comparable in mission scope (hearing access for underserved populations) though embedded within a much larger volunteer-driven organization.
• Amplifon: Global leader in hearing aid retail and audiology services with extensive clinic networks. Comparable as the dominant for-profit hearing care delivery model the foundation's paid services compete against for paying customers.
• William Demant Foundation (Oticon Foundation): Foundation of the Oticon/Demant hearing aid group funding hearing healthcare research, treatment, and humanitarian projects. Comparable as a hearing-industry-affiliated foundation supporting hearing aid access and audiology capacity-building.
• Audika (Demant retail network): International audiology clinic and hearing aid retailer (part of Demant group). Comparable as a clinical audiology delivery network with audiology, hearing aid fitting, and ENT-adjacent services.

Regional players

• Beltone: Hearing aid manufacturer and clinic network primarily operating in the Americas. Comparable as an audiology and hearing aid provider targeting similar patient segments in Latin American markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OirEsVivir
• Facebookfacebook.com/oiresvivir.pa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oiresvivir
• Instagraminstagram.com/oiresvivir

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fundación Oir es Vivir