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If you have yet to cap off your New Year’s resolution for 2023, why not include the act of giving to your list? Recent studies have shown that giving is a good way for one to become happy – a fact that everybody, including us at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), already knows.
For over 30 years, SDEAS and its allies have been consistent in giving Deaf individuals the opportunity for an education that they deserve. SDEAS offers at an average of 45 scholarships a year to deaf students from low-income families, and this is made possible with the aid of funds and donations from individuals and organizations outside of the School.
In the academic year 2020 – 2021, donations to the School have provided aid to over 300 of our students. This allowed Deaf learners to study their own identity, language, culture, and communities so that they can work, lead, advocate for their rights, and contribute to society.
Additionally, for this year, contributions to our cause were prioritized for SDEAS Student Support and Allowances, Deaf Scholarship Fund, and Calamity Emergency Assistance for Deaf Community Members. The donations also allow SDEAS to develop programs in response to the educational, employment, advocacy, and accessibility needs of Deaf individuals across the country.
According to SDEAS Alum Raphael Domingo (Rafa), who is currently working as the head of the Deaf Heritage and Filipino Sign Language Studies at Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf, donations and contributions to SDEAS provide quality education and open up opportunities for the development of Deaf people’s esteem and identity.
At a young age, Rafa thought that they would end up as a janitor or as a computer operator because they have seen Deaf college graduates with these jobs. But through scholarships and study grants, they were able to graduate with a degree in Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies at SDEAS, and eventually got their PhD in Linguistics from Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., USA.
SDEAS welcomes various forms of support from donors and allies in order to continue the School’s legacy of making a positive impact on the lives of Deaf Filipinos, their families, and their communities. There are three ways by which people can make contributions: offering a one-time donation, supporting one of our students on a monthly basis or holding a social initiative for a cause.
One-Time Donation
Individuals and institutions may offer a one-time donation of any amount to the SDEAS Endowment Fund. The endowment funds allow the sustainability of the School’s scholarship program for aspiring Deaf learners. Contributions to this fund help us meet the most pressing needs of the School as it provides unrestricted and immediate support to the Deaf students of SDEAS.
Monthly Support
Interested individuals and institutions may opt to sponsor the monthly expenses of a Deaf scholar. One Deaf scholar would be needing around P1,000 per month for their back-to-school post-pandemic hybrid learning expenses, P3,000 per month for school miscellaneous fees, and P5,000 for food and other basic needs. To support a Deaf scholar through college, sponsors may offer a monthly donation of either P1,000, P3,000, P5,000 or P9,000.
Social Activity to Raise Funds
Partners and allies may also hold events to raise funds to contribute to the School’s cause. This may come in the form of organizing a social responsibility activity, a corporate giving program or a cause-related marketing campaign. All they must keep in mind is that they are raising funds for the study and living allowances of SDEAS Deaf scholars.
This is the chance to make 2023 a better year for everyone. Let us start the act of giving today and achieve genuine joy in our lives by making others happy.
If you are interested in making an impact on the lives of Deaf youth leaders and advocates, please check out sdeas.benilde.edu.ph/donate for more information.