Inside every ear is a spiral.
It is called the cochlea. An implant follows it to bring sound in, at any age.
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Humansof CI
Everyone who hears again, or for the first time, has a story. These are theirs, told by the people who lived them.
Explore the map
“The results were life-changing.”
Tina, 26, Gurugram, told by her father
Humans of CI began as a school project. Navya Mrig, a Class 12 student in New Delhi, started collecting the stories of people with cochlear implants and the people around them.
The aim is to raise money for children whose families cannot afford an implant. The stories are also here for anyone who has just heard the word implant for the first time.
Every ear carries a story.
Each little person stands in the city where they live. Tap one to hear their story.
- Stories
- 5
- Cities
- 7
- Children waiting
- 3
India, as per the official boundary. Everyone is placed by city only.
From silence to sound.
Six steps everyone with an implant takes, at any age. Four of them cost money many families do not have.
-
01
Noticing
Someone close usually notices first. A baby who sleeps through Diwali. A grandfather who stops answering the phone.
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02
The test
An audiologist runs a set of hearing tests. They take an afternoon and tell the family what kind of loss it is. A radiology scan then shows any structural issues in the cochlea.
₹20,000 for a full set of tests -
03
The surgery
An implant and its surgery cost ₹6 to 8 lakh. Most families here earn that over several years.
₹6 to 8 lakh for the implant and surgery -
04
Switch-on
One week after surgery the processor is switched on. Sound arrives, for the first time or the first time in years.
₹15,000 for switch-on and tuning -
05
Therapy
Sound is not yet language. A year or two of speech therapy turns one into the other.
₹1 to 2 lakh over one to two years of therapy -
06
Back in the conversation
For a child it is a first word. For a grandmother it is a phone call she can follow.
Fund one step
Adopt a CI.
Choose a child, then choose how to help. Children are shown without their names, and photos only with their family's consent. Every donation goes to Sankalp Trust Foundation.
- Needs
- City
- 1Choose a child
- 2Choose how to help
- 3Give through Sankalp Trust Foundation
- 4Get a receipt the same day
- 5Get updates as the child hears
Become a partner.
Companies can fund an implant from the first test to the last therapy session through their CSR programme. We report back at every step.
The people behind it.
Humans of CI is run by a student, with a surgeon and a trust beside her.
Navya Mrig
Founder, Class 12 student, New Delhi
Navya started Humans of CI and writes down every story herself. She translated her research into a web-based application that explores how genetic information and age at cochlear implantation can help predict speech outcomes.
Sankalp Trust Foundation
Every donation made here goes to Sankalp Trust Foundation, which funds the children's care.
Saahas
Navya also runs Saahas, a New Delhi NGO that raises awareness about organ donation.
www.saahas.lifeAdd your story to the map.
Have a cochlear implant, or love someone who does? Tell us what happened. Somewhere, someone is where you once were.
- 1
We read every story ourselves. Nothing is published automatically.
- 2
We call you first. We check the details and your consent before anything goes live.
- 3
Your story joins the map. It stands in your city, beside the others.
Thank you.
Your story has reached us. We read every story ourselves, and we will call you on before anything is published.
If something changes before then, write to navyaamrig@gmail.com.