by Lance Domingo, DLT Trainee, Feb. to March 2019
“Thank you for accepting me as part of your community. I met many wonderful people. For the longest time, I feel I belong here. ATRIEV is the best school I’ve ever been to. No bully, no discriminations and most important of all, the people here are very considerate. I’d also like to thank the instructors for teaching us the very best they can.
Also, I’d like to thank Microsoft for the accessibility of their products and for being partners with ATRIEV. I’d like to thank the donors for the sponsorship and for opportunity that ATRIEV gave me. I know I can do a lot of things and reach my goal. Thanks to ATRIEV, I now have the confidence to compete in the real world.
ATRIEV gave me the helmet of wisdom for me to make the right decisions, The chest plate of encouragement to encourage my co-trainees and raise their self-esteem, The boots of guidance to guide me wherever I may go and The shield of bravery so that I can be brave whenever trials come and I will not bog down. The sword of learning with the ATRIEV engraved on it. I will raise it and say “I’d started from ATRIEV towards my goal.”
I’m now an ATRIEV soldier. I hope many visually impaired will become an ATRIEV soldier too and help each other to compete in the real battle.”
by Rubilou Dacillo, DLT Trainee, August to October 2018
“I just want you to know that I am very glad that I’ve been a part of ATRIEV. I am thankful that I discover your page in facebook and got the chance to be a scholar in the Digital Literacy training for visually impaired (VI). This is my first time to mingle with lots of visually impaired persons like me and it feels like I really belong.
Through the help of DLT, I learned that we can use computers even without monitors and I was very amazed. I learned a lot and for sure it will be useful to me when I conquer the corporate world if ever I will be given a chance.
Thank you for creating this program for visually impaired that will help us to achieve our goals and prove our worth. I hope that you’ll continue helping people with visual impairment and make them realize their worth. I can now say proudly that yes, I am a VI but I am Not just a VI, I can do more and I will have a better future.”
Credits to the Asia Foundation.
Image taken from their publication about CfC Reform Story 10_Fully Abled Nation Making Elections More Inclusive!
Let us exercise our right to vote and elect the leaders who will be part of our cause. Let us actively participate and not be content as observers only.
We have provided an accessible list of senatorial candidates so that you can start preparing your own list. Check out the names. Do your research so that we will choose the right people who will truly serve our country.
We also encourage you to share your experience on election day on our facebook page.
So let’s go out and vote!
Attention: SPED teachers, Regular Teachers, ALS Teachers, School Principals working for the blind
You’re invited to attend the:
What: FREE TRAINING ON WINDOWS BASIC ICT FOR TEACHERS (using assistive technology)
When: May 20-24, 2019, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Valenzuela Campus, McArthur Highway, Karuhatan, Valenzuela City
Registration Deadline: on or before May 15, 2019 on a 1st come, 1st serve basis
1st time attendees will be given priority.
For queries, please contact: 02-725-4191, 0977-705-9766 and 0923-616-4376, from 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday – Friday only.
This training is in partnership with DICT and ATRIEV. Successful participants will receive DICT certificates.
Please share and repost.
Nakapasa ka ba sa ATRIEV’s Access Technology in Popular Applications, PC Operations with Access Technology, o Digital Literacy Training programs? Gusto mo bang matutong gumawa ng website?
Invited ka na mag-join sa 40-day training ng Intro to Computer Science. Dito ka matututo mag-develop ng web pages at mag-audit ng accessibility ng website’s. Hindi lang ‘yan, ituturo rin sa’yo ang technical writing na maari mong magamit sa pagsusulat ng audit report at iba pang bagay.
Inclusive Date: April 8 to May 28, 2019
Class Schedule: Monday to Saturday – 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Class Duration: 40 days
Location: ATRIEV Training Center, 3rd Floor, 1680 Corner E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave. and Los Angeles Street, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines
Ano pang hinihintay mo? Sali na!
Registration deadline is on or before April 2, 2019. First-come, 1st serve basis po ito. May tuition fee sponsorship para sa applicants up to 35 years old.
Para sa karagdagang detalye, maaari po kayong mag-text o tumawag sa +632-411-1664, +632-725-4191, +63977-705-9766 at +63923-616-4376. Pakihanap na lang po si Ms. Marsh Balcueva, Lunes hanggang Byernes lamang, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Ikaw ba ay blind na gustong matutong mag-computer? O may kakilala kang bulag na nangangailangang matuto ng training na ito?
Ang ATRIEV po ay magkakaroon ng computer training, entitled “Digital Literacy Training” from April 8 to May 28, 2019, Monday to Saturday.
Ang training ay bukas para sa blind and visually impaired high school level pataas.
Para sa qualifications, requirements and other details, please call us at +632-725-4191, +632-411-1664 (landline numbers), +63977-705-9766; and +63923-616-4376 (mobile numbers). Please call between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday only.
See you around!
by Edrian delos Reyes
“You are blind now! Accept it and go on with your life!”
I said that line to myself numerous times, but it wasn’t that easy. It was hard for me to accept that I’m a visually impaired now. My life changed and I just couldn’t keep up with the changes.
Even though I was in an online school, I didn’t feel like I was moving forward. I took the recommended subjects for my first term, but I eventually dropped one subject. It was really hard for me because I depended on no one but myself. I was doing my best, but I knew something was wrong.
I wanted to enter a regular college, but I didn’t think that I can cope with the studies because of my poor vision. So guess what? I didn’t even try going to a regular college! No matter how hard my friends pushed me to not worry and just trust myself, I just couldn’t find the courage to even try enrolling. Maybe if I know a blind person who achieved something despite this disability, I would find the courage I needed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.
I hated feeling this way—of being left behind—so I knew I had to do something. My friends are about to finish their studies, and one of them is now working despite dropping out of school. As for me, life stayed the same.
That’s when I reached out to an organization that gives different kinds of assistance to blind people. I had conversations with people who also have a visual impairment. I listened to their stories about how they travel and how college was like for them. The more I asked about them studying despite their condition, the more I became eager to enter mainstream education. And that’s when I learned about an IT school for the blind. They told me that it would be a huge help if I were to be trained there. I immediately went to ATRIEV.
I thought that ATRIEV was just an IT center for the blind, but it was more than that. Developing the trainees’ personalities and platform skills is also a part of their training. All the lessons I needed to learn, I got them with the help of ATRIEV. I became independent and can now travel alone. I also experienced being in a blind community because we, the trainees and even the trainers, are visually-impaired persons.
Most importantly, I discovered that my life can still be meaningful. I was able to help others, and I look forward to helping more people, just like how ATRIEV helped me to accept who I am now. With all honesty, I want to be a part of this community for the rest of my life because here, my heart is in the right place.
by Yvette Amistad, ATRIEV Trainer since 2015
“Lord, Help me. This is not the life I’ve wanted and dreamt of.” I felt stuck and fed up of the heavy responsibilities of looking after my cousins. I cried so hard and prayed on bended knees. I hoped to be more productive and not just to stay inside the house. I wanted to be free and do things on my own.
And God answered my prayers.
I was called to attend a vocational training. I arrived with all my required documents but I got rejected because they learned that I have diabetes.
It felt terrible until one of the social workers said, ”there are other oppurtunities for you. Do you know that blind can use computers? You can go and be trained in ATRIEV.”
It was April of 2013 when I first step in ATRIEV. I felt excited, curious, yet scared because that was my first time to be in a blind community. Through the use of assistive technology, with the use of talking application, I learned how to operate my computer. Through platforms skills and personality development workshop, I gained my confidence. I was able to share my sentiments and emotions about my blindness. I met and mingled with other blind people and gained new friends. I experienced falling and walking in line by the sidewalk. I sat and sang with them while they were alternately playing musical instruments even if I’m not a singer. I joined class activities while sitting and eating happily with them.
Through ATRIEV, I learned many things, not just about technology but also about life. I’m now one with them as a part-time trainer and we go to communities to teach and inspire more blind people on how to use computers and android phones. I also became a general transcriptionist, converting audio files into written documents.
Now I’m more productive. This is what I wanted for my life. Because of ATRIEV, my dreams are closer to reality. I may not know where I am headed to but I know that, as long as I spread my wings, the winds will carry me to where I should be. And that is in ATRIEV.
