PWD's better shot at life at AVRC -iCebu

Within the month of July is the National Disability and Prevention Week (NDPR)

Here is our iCebu on some packets of good news gathered by Philippine Information Agency 7 team from individuals benefiting from a government facility addressing their needs 

In today’s world where bad news seems to be filling the papers, digital newsfeeds, radio and television, knowing a couple of victories won by people we thought are incapable, is like a breath of fresh air.

Meet Jemelyn, Divina and Sarah who are among the graduates of the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center, a government facility designed to empower and reintegrate persons with various forms of disabilities.

*Divina Arna and Sarah Mae Araneta are both blind while Jemelyn Beldad is a polio victim. At AVRC there are deafs, mutes, both and those with other physical impairments.

Divina was a typhoon Yolanda survivor from Borongan, Samar. She narrated seeing her relatives and neighbors suffer prompting her to volunteer in the relief distribution. Little did she know, that she is to experience real suffering, as she began to lose her eyesight,  a year before finishing her Accountancy course. Divina was diagnosed with glaucoma and it was irreversible.

Then she withdrew from the crowd and locked her self in her room most of the time

*Sarah Mae Araneta, from Ubay, Bohol was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when she was in high school.  It is not a surprise since seven of her 12 siblings unluckily picked a dominant gene from her father, a case of retinal degeneration that could slowly lead to total blindness.

She dropped out from school and just like Divina, just wanted to be alone

*Jemelyn Beldad, of Argao town, is the jolliest among the three.  She had clear skin and well manicured nails and a well maintained curly hair. Because she lives in the farthermost barangay in Argao, it was difficult for her to be brought to the hospital when she had fever for a week. That caused her polio when she was 3 years old. Her polio made her unable to stand and so she said, she gets used to being married to the wheel chair. She never went to school


Fortunately after several days of sulking, the three of them had their respective turning points  and even if they are from distant localities, their roads were led to AVRC.

People running the AVRC said there  the facility runs a variety of skills trainings for PWD’s , allowing then to regain confidence and get a good bat at life and make a livelihood to be independent.

Divina and Sarah May took the three months massage training while Jemelyn had cosmetology.  Jemelyn was happy, it was only at AVRC that she learned how to write.

Now the three of them are earning more than enough for themselves, that they are able to send money to their respective homes.

Divina is very inspired to be able to support her younger sister become a teacher while Sarah May sends to school her three other siblings.

With strong determination and the timely intervention availed from this government facility, the three of them would agree, life lead them to take a better shot.

At AVRC, one does not feel deaf, mute, weak, blind… but courage, hope, passion and inspiration.

From the Philippine Information Agency, Ferliza C. Contratista, iCebu