« La Sagesse » Centre - Philippines
Wonders in the Daily Life of « La Sagesse Center»
Sr. Henedina Latayada, DW
It was a grace-filled year in the lives of the students with special needs at “La Sagesse Center” in Manila, Philippines. Our life was full of challenges and miracles for the teachers, staff, Sisters, parents and siblings of our students.
Yes, we are so blessed to find ourselves in “La Sagesse Center” where the finger of God is pouring all His blessings on the children with special needs and those whom He chose to collaborate in the mission entrusted to the Daughters of Wisdom. After five years working in our new location and building, the miracles continue.
- Students from the self-contained program have learnt to cook, to do their laundry and can now provide this service to others to supplement their income.
- Children with cerebral palsy have learnt to walk
- Some of the students joined the local and the international sport’s competition (Special Olympics),
- Two students successfully passed the Philippine Educational Placement Test: an accreditation and equivalency for regular school placement,
- In record time, the Center itself has been officially recognized by the Department of Education with special needs, bringing hope to our students, to their family, to our society where shines a brighter future.
The Self-Contained Program is designed for students where life skills are taught such as cooking, laundry and housekeeping. This is the next level after the early intervention program. Many of the students are non-verbal so their skills are enhanced. The time frame of each student if taken successfully is about 3-4 years but considering their other physical conditions some students continue in the program for a longer time.
A humbling experience for our students in Alternative Education occurred in February 2016 during the evaluation of the Cooking Program. They cooked lunch for children in an orphanage and with joy they shared with them the true meaning of love, simplicity and communion. What a joy to see them!
Another experience revealed the love of our beneficiaries for our Mother Earth. Every September, a group of students with special needs join the community sweepers in cleaning the streets. There are many limiting beliefs about the burden brought about by persons with special needs and here they were witnessing to the transforming Word of God coming alive through them. Many undocumented miracles happen in the Center and now it is for you to discover and claim them. A heartfelt gratitude to all of you who allowed and will continue to allow Jesus Christ Wisdom to speak to your heart and through your heart.
Vidéo : “La Sagesse Center”
CHANGING LIVES ONE DAY AT A TIME
Sr Henedina Latayada - DW
La Sagesse Rehabilitation and Development Centre provides educational, social and life skills training and support to approximately 120 children and young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities and their families from marginalised and disadvantaged backgrounds in Pasig city in the Philippines.
The overall objective of the Centre is to provide care and support to enable those attending the centre to become as independent as possible and integrated into society. The Centre aims to provide structures and input that will ensure the students establish self-worth, confidence and self-expression.
Attentive to the signs of time, werespond to the needs by welcoming children with special needs into La Sagesse Rehabilitation and Development Center in Pasig City. They are children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Downs’s syndrome, intellectual disability, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Our vision is to provide the special children and young adults the necessary help that could enhance their capacity to be more functional and integrated in society.
In line with this vision is the need for a well-grounded group of people that can address the immediate needs of each child for his/her on-going development. The programs vary depending on the needs of each child.
As example, the non-verbal children they are following the programs that address their needs for independent living like cooking, laundry, and housekeeping.
Job coaching in the making and selling of handicrafts is also includedto help develop and sustain their personal needs.
We wish to encourage the staff, the parents and other members of the family to take part in the mission of journeyingwith the children and young adults with special needs.
With the grace of God, one way to obtain our goal is to equip the whole family and the staff through on-going formation in order to support the development program of the children leading towards independent living.
(Justice, Peace and Integration of Creation)
