REACH employs Applied Behavioral Analysis and the TEACCH method. Its program for the children includes sensory integration programming, computer work, behavior therapy, communication, gross and fine motor skill development, functional skills (ADLs), pre-vocational skills, community integration, and academic/pre-academic skills. Each child has an aide with them throughout the day (usually a parent or helper/worker hired by the family). Classrooms are capped at 4 children each.
As the program is holistic, teachers work closely with families, making house visits and providing education to families so they can continue same programming/behavioral work at home. Every Saturday, teachers are involved in trainings at the center (sadly, their teachers are so well-trained, they risk losing them to higher paying jobs overseas) and one Saturday a month is a seminar/training for parents. They also advocate for Autism awareness by bringing their ‘traveling board’ (info board) to malls and outlying regions with the help of the Rotary Club. Many of the students are indigent, and there is a scholarship program.
We learn it costs 5,000 pesos/ month per student. In U.S. dollars that is roughly $118/month. RC Cebu Fuente sponsors about 20 scholars for the past year. Sadly, there are currently about 75-80 children on a wait list to get in, and at least one current student who does not know where her second 6 months of funding will come from as her donor could only provide support for six months.
Student working on motor skills (note: photo used with permission from parent)
What struck me about REACH was not necessarily what their program contained (as it is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program that is targeting all the areas we would expect a similar program in the US to target). No, what struck me is how they are managing to do this with so little, compared to what we would expect a school in the US—especially one serving children with these needs—to have. But the kids are getting the services they need, they are making gains, and differences are being made for kids and families. The currently have two facilities, one in Cebu main, which we visited, and a newer facility in Mandaue. I was awed and humbled by the resourcefulness of this group and the generosity of those (like the Rotarians) who strive to meet the needs of as many children as possible. I encourage anyone and everyone to visit their website to see what this remarkable group is doing: http://www.reachph.com/
We left them with a bag of goodies to use as reinforcers for the kids, but I, for one, wished we could leave them with more.
After we left REACH, we went on a short tour of the city of Cebu, starting with the Heritage of Cebu monument, a massive sculpture displaying many of the historical narratives of the city. We also toured one main market place. We wandered up and down streets teeming with goods and activity, all lined with vendors selling everything from beautiful fresh fruit, to live roosters (for cock-fighting), to stinky fish and weird sea creatures, to baskets and hand-woven items. We were stared at (could you blame them – we stick out like sore thumbs), small children waved and yelled, and a group of men with the roosters started posing in funny ways when they saw us taking pictures.
We had to hurry to get to the port area for a lunch meeting at the Cebu Bureau of Customs, including a tour of the shipyard. Rotarian Ronnie C. Silvestre is the District Collector of Collection District VII, Port of Cebu.
The afternoon vocational visit was at the University of San Carlos College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA), where PDG Yumi Espina is the Dean. I enjoyed this part of the day very much because it reminded me of being an art student, and made me want to be one again. The college setting looked familiar with one exception. All the students wore very conservative uniforms. We also had a conversation with a guidance counselor in the student services program. We discussed the resources available to students who need academic, career, as well as crisis counseling. We also had a short visit to the USC School of Nursing.
We capped the day off by visiting the Capitol building of Cebu where Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the first woman governor of the province, received us graciously in the governor's private conference room. She was delighted to learn about the GSE program, and we left her with a number of materials, including an illustrated guide the Pennsylvania Capitol building in Harrisburg.
By the end of this, our brains were full, our body’s tired, and our belly’s growling, so it was back to our home stay hosts for the remainder of the evening.
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