Implementation Period: January 2023 – June 2023

Grant given by SCBPMM for this project: US$7,500

As of June 30, 2023, the Project aimed to serve 40 indigent school children with special needs presently enrolled in the only public school that offers special education in the province of Aklan, the Kalibo Integrated Special Education Center or KISEC. The most common impairments of beneficiaries were hearing and visual disabilities. These were given priority with the purpose of enabling them to improve learning skills and facilitate their participation in mainstream society the soonest time possible.

All 40 beneficiaries have undergone diagnostics and medical evaluation by specialists in hearing and visual impairment. Of the 10 visually impaired, five beneficiaries - two males and three females, ages 10 to 13 years old, have received corrective eye lenses. Three beneficiaries, two males and one female are designated to have cataract surgery while two will undergo further observation for treatment.

The Foundation has made initial coordination with the Provincial Government and the Municipal Local Governments for assistance in these cataract surgery cases that would require additional funds not covered by the Project.

All the 30 hearing impaired beneficiaries have been evaluated for the most appropriate hearing aid. The 30 beneficiaries were assessed according to the possibility of improving their hearing abilities with the use of aids.

A team of specialists from the partner school KISEC designed a two-day training activity on the psychosocial aspect of the care and management of children with special needs and Filipino sign language tools and techniques for parents and guardians and care givers.

Eleven beneficiaries did not need hearing aids due to the severity of their impairment. The Foundation aims to include them in the counseling program for parents and guardians, vitamin supplementation and other forms of assistance they may need.