Deaf student-volunteers and marginalized children gathered at the recent 12th Deaf and Hearing Camp, a solidarity volunteering advocacy program on Deaf sensitivity, their rights, and environmental protection.
The annual project was organized by Stairway Foundation, Inc. (SFI), a non-government organization (NGO) which provides a safe environment for the street children in the country.
This was in collaboration with the Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation (CDEAF) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), a learner-centered Deaf education institution in the Philippines.
Held at the SFI Compound in Barangay Aninuan in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, the five-day event commenced with interactive arts and crafts pursuits to include dreamcatcher and bracelet-making.
In line with the NGO’s advocacy to fight child abuse and exploitation, a series of SFI-produced animated works that depicted a tangible and accurate representation of the issues were screened. This initiative was conducted as part of their Break the Silence Campaign, which engages capacity-building exercises and networking to raise awareness at the grassroots level.
Cracked Mirrors, a theatrical performance woven together through music, likewise provided the participants with a glimpse into the lives of the victims.
For Environmental Awareness for Children and Youth (EACY) Day, the attendees gained a deeper appreciation of nature through an immersive exploration of the marine ecosystem aboard a floating classroom dubbed Sea Adventure School (SAS).
The participants likewise cleaned up a mangrove area clogged with trash washed in from adjacent villages and tourist spots.
A quick expedition to Mt. Malasimbo also treated them to an educational visit to the Aninuan Falls.
“The excursion offered an opportunity to learn about the complexity and interdependence of sea grass, coral reefs and mangroves, as well as how human behaviors impact these ecosystems,” Benilde SDEAS Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation (CDEAF) Social Responsibility and Outreach Program Coordinator William Sidayon Jr. shared.
The Deaf Day, themed Passion Inside, fielded SDEAS students and associate volunteers for a basic workshop on Filipino Sign Language (FSL) with the children from SFI. There was a Deaf Sensitivity and Awareness Orientation presented to the parents, teachers, social workers, and members of the local government of Aninuan.
The Deaf pupils also staged Mga Kwento ng Aming Mga Kamay (Stories of Our Hands), a cultural show that advocated the culture and identity of the Deaf in a creative blend of FSL, visual arts and literature.
“The participants engaged in a variety of enjoyable activities together, learned how to communicate without using words, and interacted with people from a variety of backgrounds that are very dissimilar from their own,” Sidayon recounted.
“Not all learnings are cognitive,” he reiterated. “Stairway upholds and practices the idea of equality for all kids and the children understood this both intellectually and practically.” He likewise added that the Deaf and Hearing Camp provided the youth with a meaningful life experience.
For more information about SDEAS and its initiatives, visit https://sdeas.benilde.edu.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/DlsCsbSchoolOfDeafEducationAndAppliedStudies