Children with hearing loss in Argentina are receiving life-changing care thanks to donations made through the Light the World Giving Machine initiative, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This story is one of many featured in the October 2026 World Report, which highlights recent news from the Church. The full episode will be available online in 11 languages beginning Wednesday, September 30, 2026. It will be available in English on the Church Newsroom YouTube channel.
Giving Machine kiosks arrived in South America for the first time in November 2025, offering a meaningful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by following His example of service and helping meet the needs of God's children worldwide. Using Giving Machine donations, the nonprofit Fundación de Ayuda al Niño con Discapacidad Auditiva (FANDA) provided hearing care for children in need in Argentina.
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Participant at the donation machines in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday, November 30, 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Through FANDA, children receive medical evaluations, custom hearing aids, and ongoing therapy and care that would otherwise be out of reach.
“We have worked for 30 years with families who cannot afford hearing aids or the treatments their children need,” said Gina Romano, president of FANDA. “Many times, they don’t even have enough to eat. This initiative opens a path so that, with a small gesture, someone can give a child the chance to hear, speak and learn.”
Download PhotoAixa Cruceño was one of many who received much-needed hearing care this year through Giving Machine donations.
“Since I was a little girl, I was bullied because I couldn’t hear,” she said. For Cruceño, hearing aids opened the door to a world she had not been able to fully experience.
“Once I tried them on, I could hear things that I’ve never heard in my life,” she explained. “What struck me the most was hearing the little birds. I couldn’t hear them before.”
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Aixa Cruceño is evaluated for custom hearing aids at a clinic in San Luis, Argentina. Cruceño was among those who received hearing care in 2026 through donations made at Giving Machine kiosks.
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Abigail receives custom hearing aids through FANDA at a clinic in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 24, 2026.
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Iván Roldán, 7, spends time with his family in San Luis, Argentina. After receiving his hearing aids this year, he has become more engaged at school and at home.
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Iván Roldán, 7, plays outside in San Luis, Argentina. After receiving his hearing aids this year, he has become more engaged at school and at home.
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Aixa Cruceño studies at a university in San Luis, Argentina, using new hearing aids. Cruceño was among those who received hearing care in 2026 through donations made at Giving Machine kiosks.
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Aixa Cruceño studies at a university in San Luis, Argentina, using new hearing aids. Cruceño was among those who received hearing care in 2026 through donations made at Giving Machine kiosks.
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Aixa Cruceño studies at a university in San Luis, Argentina, using new hearing aids. Cruceño was among those who received hearing care in 2026 through donations made at Giving Machine kiosks.
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Iván Roldán, 7, spends time with his family in San Luis, Argentina. After receiving his hearing aids this year, he has become more engaged at school and at home.
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Gina Romano, president of FANDA (right), helps children with hearing loss receive care at a clinic in San Luis, Argentina, on August 26, 2026.
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Cruceño is now studying at university, where she says improved hearing has made it easier to succeed and pursue her goals.
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Iván Roldán, 7, plays outside in San Luis, Argentina. After receiving his hearing aids this year, he has become more engaged at school and at home.2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.After receiving his hearing aids in 2026, 7-year-old Iván Roldán has become more engaged at school and home. “When they put the hearing aids on, he was so happy. It was as if he were saying, ‘Thank you for giving me the ears I need,’” recalled his mother. “It was a beautiful moment filled with love.”
“It’s incredible, because it’s not just donating a hearing aid; it’s transforming a life,” said Romano. “The impact that the donations had was incredible.”
Grateful for the support she received, Cruceño hopes that others will continue to support FANDA and the Giving Machine initiative. “It’s beautiful what they’re doing, and I hope they’ll keep doing it for a long time, helping all the people in the world.”
