Special ang Buhay sa SHINE

Masarap pag-usapan ang Easter kasama ang magagandang kwento.

Bago ko simulan ang “rigodon” ng kwento ng mga cancer survivors at caregivers, heto muna ang isang napapanahong istorya ng pagbibigay-buhay lalo na sa mga “differently-abled” nating mga kapatid. Here is Ms. Imelda Pangan, Coordinator ng SHINE Life Skills Center, Buhangin.

KNOT: What motivated you to open this kind of center?

Advocacy din namin ito, kase meron din kami sa aming mga families na special. Nag start kami as a foundation—Self Help in Independent Experience Foundation, Inc. or SHINE Life Skills Center.

We came together because we know there’s a need for a different kind of setting for those with special needs who have already finished a school, but cannot get a job, di ba? What do they do after school?

So, we thought of setting up a place like this, where they could come to learn; a place like this that will help them na mamuhay like cooking, gardening, baka kung sakaling maka-sell kami ng aming mga plants, ‘yung mga ganun. We are really for skill or livelihood that will by help them have meaningful lives.

KNOT: Who are your target clients?

Our target clients; we aim to have 13 years old and above, male and female, of any need. It can be physical disability or mental health issue like autism. Andito sa amin ngayon ‘yung autism, and one who is mentally retarded, anybody who cannot do well in a regular school. Di naman siya makatrabaho, anong gagawin niya? Sa ngayon we have three (3), but we can have more since August 2013 pa kami.

KNOT: Pa’no n’yo pinopromote ito?

Meron kaming FB page: Shine Life Skills Center. Definitely makatulong itong feature sa amin to promote. Maraming schools pero palagay ko, life skill center, kami pa lang.

Hindi kami school na graded, na merong curriculum at teacher. Sa amin, pwedeng rest; pwedeng pumupunta lang dito during daytime. Kung resident, we take care of the clients. We take care of their needs, of their health needs. Ina-assess namin kung ano ang pwede naming i-train na skill. Kung kailangan pa naming i-train is Toileting, then tini-train namin kung ano ang need.

KNOT: So far, ano ang changes sa kanila in a matter of one year?

Gaya nu’ng isa, na toilet train namin siya…malaking bagay ‘yun. Di na siya nag da-diaper. Gaya niya (points to one), one year na rin, so nag uumpisa na siya ng kabuhayan. Livelihood na.

KNOT: Ilan kayo na nag-aalaga sa kanila?

Meron kaming staff. It is run by a licensed social worker, tapos meron kaming house parent, caregiver, in-charge ng bahay. So, we are fully staffed and we are DSWD-licensed. Private funded ito, but we are accepting donations. Itong bahay, pinapagamit.

KNOT: What is your plan in the next months?

Patuloy ‘yung aming vision na to contribute to having a meaningful life for the differently-abled through our program here.

KNOT: What is your message to all your supporters?

Everybody is welcome to come and take a look of what we have here. Our doors are always open to the community. We have wonderful families, they can come anytime.

Do visit us, call 222-2556.