How inspiring, to see this group of developmentally slow children, making a difference in the world that we’re currently residing in, from the Newspapers, translated…
“From Before Other People Had Donated What We Needed to Us, to Now, We’re Able to Afford the Items on Our Own”, the Physically Handicapped Children Planted Their Own Vegetables, Made Handmade Soaps, and, as They All Received New Pairs of Shoes, They Hoorayed with Pride!
The Yi-He Farms had delivered shoes to the physically handicapped and mentally delayed children of the Shih-Guan Home for three years now, and, this year, Yi-He Farms only donated the money for just one shoe, and the handicapped students were able to use the money they made from selling the handmade soaps and selling the vegetables they’d harvested, to make up for the cost of the other shoes they’d needed, learned to make it on their own. This group of developmentally delayed children had raised funds for five more pairs of shoes, and by next month, they planned to send the shoes to the children in the mountainous regions of Wufeng, to pass their love and compassions to others.
a photo of the teacher with all the students of the class, photo courtesy of UDN.com…
The Slow-Growing Home had pushed forth the “Flipping Over” concepts, taught twenty-nine developmentally delay children to plant organic vegetables, to make the handmade soaps to sell; and, the Yi-He Gardens only donated half of the money for the shoes, and the other half of the money needed for the shoes, are made, with the students’ own earnings, as the students of the home received their new shoes, they all hollered out, “I bought this myself!”, with pride.
The manager of the Slow-Growing Gardens Home, Wang told the developmentally delayed children, “from before, people had donated these shoes to you without any questions asked, and now, you’re the ones, buying the shoes for yourselves, next year, each of you can donate two days’ worth of wages, and, you’ll be able to help those who are less fortunate than you are.”, the instructor had even used the class meeting times, and posted the picture of a pair of shoes, and a card with number, so the students can all vote on it, in the end, they’d decided, to give five pairs of shoes to the mountain areas of Wufeng, so the children living in the faraway regions can have new shoes for the New Year’s.
All of these severely to profound handicapped students have the average age of two, to three year-olds, they have almost NO views or senses about money; it’d taken the home over three years’ time, to finally teach these developmentally delayed children about “receiving and giving the shoes to someone else in need”.
The home had let the residents set up committees of housing and meals, at first, the students couldn’t voice their opinions, and needed the teacher to lead them to cast their votes. Wang, the instructor pointed out, that they’d posted the topics of interests, like going shopping at the malls, go to the parks, or to the shopping marts and, after the students found that their opinions were valued, they would be more than willing to show their interests. Started last year, there were members of the student body who’d gotten up, walked to the front of the class, to cast the votes in front of the blackboard, this made the instructors very happy, “I’m not stupid, I just learn slower.”
Wang said, that students of these homes mostly had everything provided to them, as gifts from the society, but, they’d lacked meaning in their lives, planting the vegetables, making the handmade soaps, giving away the shoes, although they made only small amounts of money, it’d made the students feel “I’m still useful, and can contribute to the world”; and now, there are students who’d told with confidence, “I will one day, own my own bakery, massage clinics”, they’re now, with the ability, to dream and to make their own dreams come true.
So, this, would be, an EXCELLENT social welfare program, as the students in this home were making it on their own, they’re using their own skills, to make the money to give away, to keep the cycle of charity going, and, we need MORE of these programs in the world, these kids are an inspiration to all!