NMSC to launch its Series of Free Open Sports Clinics Starting on November 8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sarah Mamaril, Communications
sarah@nms-cares.org
+63 917 5195380 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 31, 2014, Baguio City – NMS CARES INC. will officially launch a new program that centers on sports and recreational activities that will engage young Deaf individuals from all over Baguio City and nearby La Trinidad.

The sports program aptly called DREAM or Deaf Recreational Engagement Activity Movement is an initiative by NMSC that revolves around the use of sports to educate, inspire and engage young Deaf individuals, further reminding them that Deafness is never a barrier.

The DREAM Program is spearheaded and will be facilitated by Max Eyking, eldest son of NMSC founder Martin Eyking. Just arrived from Australia this month, Max will conduct a series of open clinics on different world sports such as Soccer, Australian Football, Cricket, Tennis, and Basketball. He is the organization’s current International Relations Officer as well as head of all NMSC recreational initiatives for the Deaf.

Through the help of local Barangay Scout Barrio, NMSC will launch DREAM on November 8, Saturday at the Scout Barrio Open Field. The event is from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, and will run every Saturday until early or mid April of next year.

Different local Deaf organization heads have already given their support to the imminent launch of the program. DUABC (Deaf Unity Association Baguio City) president Ruby Liza Insoo, as well as heads of LTAD (La Trinidad Association for the Deaf) Philip Nabat and Milanie Kituyan are all in as NMSC partners, actively seeking interested participants to this 6-month sports program that will benefit young Deaf individuals ages 5 to 18.

For inquiries on how to sign up for the event, please email info@nms-cares.org or you can leave a message on the official NMSC Facebook page. You can also contact 0917-5195380, or just feel free to drop by Scout Barrio Open field on November 8, 8:00 am!

###

About NMS CARES

NMS CARES, INC. is a Philippine SEC-registered non-stock, non-profit association with a vision for Deaf children to reach their dreams. The organization fully commits to advocating for the Deaf children of the community while looking forward to expanding its service all throughout the less privileged young Deaf individuals in the Asia Pacific.

To know more about NMS CARES, please visit http://nms-cares.org or email us at info@nms-cares.org.

#DreamBelievePursue

NMSC on a Sign Language Workshop Streak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sarah Mamaril, Communications
sarah@nms-cares.org
+63 917 5195380 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 23, 2014, Baguio City – Staying true to its mission, NMSC concluded day one of its free sign language workshops last October 22 for Helping Hands, Healing Hearts Ministries Children's Recovery Unit-Baguio City.

After a successfully finishing a 3-month Basic Sign Language Workshop with parents from the Baguio SPED Center Hearing Impaired Sequence, NMS CARES forges on its mission to encourage the active involvement of the community through skill-based classes that will benefit social workers, health workers, service providers, and advocates who are often faced with the dilemma of not being able to communicate effectively with Deaf individuals they work with or service for. It is with this in mind that NMSC has opened its sign language classes not only to parents and immediate family members of young Deaf individuals, but in essence to anyone who find that there is a need for them to learn how to communicate with the Deaf members of the community.

Helping Hands, Healing Hearts Ministries cares for the sick and dying children and their families by providing the children’s physical needs. They are both hospital and community based and provide medications, surgeries, help for medical work ups and a place for children to come and recover in.*

Baguio-based Recovery Unit Director Marissa Dela Peña believes that it is crucial for them to learn how to communicate properly with their patients who are Deaf, which eliminates frustrations and possible miscommunications especially with younger Deaf patients.

The Basic Sign Language Workshop is currently being conducted by NMSC Trainer Ian Lester Kingat, and will run for 3 months. It is part of NMSC's FOND Program that aim to educate people on how to better understand, communicate, and connect with Deaf individuals in the community.

*http://facebook.com/HelpingHandsPhilippines

 ### 

About NMS Cares

NMS CARES, INC. is a Philippine SEC-registered non-stock, non-profit association with a vision for Deaf children to reach their dreams. The organization fully commits to advocating for the Deaf children of the community while looking forward to expanding its service all throughout the less privileged young Deaf individuals in the Asia Pacific.

To know more about NMS CARES, please visit http://nms-cares.org or email us at info@nms-cares.org.

Props to our Deaf friends!

Nora Quiambao, Hearing Parent of Deaf Child

Family Oneness Nurturing the Deaf (FOND) Program
NMS CARES INC.
http://www.nms-cares.org 

Music: Lowercase Noises - We Are Okay

NMSC Pilot Basic Sign Language Workshops a Success

October 8, 2014, Baguio City - NMS Cares concluded its pioneer Basic Sign Language Workshops, which is part of the Family Oneness Nurturing the Deaf Program, with lots of laughter and hope for the future.

NMS CARES INC. Basic Sign Language Workshops pioneering class: Parents from Baguio SPED Center.

 On October 2, NMSC rolled out certificates of completion and recognition to the 20 parents of Deaf learners from the Baguio SPED Center. The parents have all completed NMSC’s 3-month basic sign language program that is focused on teaching parents, guardians, and family members of young Deaf learners basic sign to help them communicate better with their kids.

“Ang laki ng naitulong sa akin ng sign language kasi noon hirap na hirap ako makipag-communicate sa anak ko kasi hindi ako marunong mag-sign language. Hindi ko siya maintindihan, hindi niya ako maintindihan.” (Learning basic sign language has been a big help for me because in the past, it has been very difficult for me to communicate with my Deaf child. I can’t understand what she wants to tell me, she can’t understand me.)

Parent of one of the young Deaf learners Nora Quiambao was teary-eyed halfway through our interview with her when asked about the impact of the program in her and her 8-year-old Deaf kid’s life. She lamented on the frustrations she and her family had to go through just because they cannot communicate well with their youngest family member. But now, she enthusiastically tells us about how she has become the family’s designated interpreter, making it easier for everyone in their household to interact with her.

“Ngayong natuto ako mag-sign language, kahit pag nasa jeep kami pauwi, nag-uusap kaming dalawa. Tuwang-tuwa nga yung mga katabi namin, yung mga kasakay namin kasi tinatanong nila ako kung ano daw ang pinag-uusapan namin.” (Now that I know how to sign, I can talk to my kid during our daily commute going home and talk about her day in school. Even the people around us love watching us talk and some would even ask me what we’re talking about.)

The thrust of the FOND Program is to help strengthen the bond between Deaf child and his or her family members through constant communications. Aside from free sign language classes given to family members and the general community, the program also aims to educate people on how to better understand, communicate, and connect with Deaf individuals in the community.

Aside from teaching sign, NMSC trainers also enlighten program attendees on Deaf culture in order to ensure a much clearer understanding on the ways of Deaf individuals and how to better interact with them.

The parents during their final presentation as part of the concluding program of the Basic Sign Language Workshops.

NMSC is set to launch a series of Basic Sign Language classes catering to the family members of Deaf learners from the other Deaf schools in the city. The organization’s Deaf professionals, closely monitored by NMSC’s Program Developer and Communications head, facilitate the classes.

(NMSC would like to extend it's gratitude to the staff and faculty of the Hearing Impaired Sequence of the Baguio SPED Center headed by Principal Niño Tibangay for letting us use their gym to conduct our workshops)

###

About NMS Cares

NMS CARES, INC. is a Philippine SEC-registered non-stock, non-profit association with a vision for Deaf children to reach their dreams. The organization fully commits to advocating for the Deaf children of the community while looking forward to expanding its service all throughout the less privileged young Deaf individuals in the Asia Pacific.

To know more about NMS CARES, please visit http://nms-cares.org or email us at info@nms-cares.org.