Stay-at-home-Mom sells DIY sewing kits to buy hearing aid for daughter

A stay-at-home mother who on occasion organize small events found a way to purchase a hearing aid for her daughter and raise funds for the partial payment of the tuition of her children and a niece amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

With an innate flair for crafts-making, Cheryl Serafico, a 32-year-old mother of four told GMA News Online that her small business of handling events, design and print out of invitations ended as all the events and activities were cancelled.

She said the family needs additional income to augment the salary of her husband, Carl, a government worker.

By March 2020, the hearing aid of her 10-year-old daughter, Caiome Zymoun “Czy” Serafico, needed a replacement.

“Nung 3 years old po siya nabilhan namin ng hearing aid maam ito po yung 6 years niyang gamit gamit hanggang sa last March bumigay na po,” said Serafico.

Czy needed a pair of hearing aid that costs between P65,000 to P120,000 each.

Cheryl was invited to a Facebook community called, "Buy Local, for Local" by her sister-in-law who also heard about it from an officemate.

It was through this group that she was able to sell her products, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) sewing kits.

In her latest post, Serafico informed the community that with the sale of the first batch of kits as well as donations, they are able to buy one hearing aid on Czy’s 10th birthday last September 17.

Even if they needed two hearing aids, the Serafico couple decided to contribute to the tuition of Czy’s cousin and best friend - Kiara Nicole Serafico.

The couple decided to buy a second hearing aid in a later date after learning that Kiara has not yet been enrolled.

“Una maam, kasi family, kami kasi ni Carl ayaw namin ng may naiiwan,” she said.

The two young girls are also inseparable, she added.

Serafico related to GMA News Online that Czy at a tender age had to face many difficulties.

Cheryl contracted measles when she got pregnant with Czy. (Kaira, like Czy, is also hearing impaired as her mother also contracted measles during pregnancy.)

Czy was diagnosed with severe-profound hearing loss and mild autism and had to undergo behavioral therapy and speech therapy.

“Turning 3 na po siya nakabitan ng hearing aid, tapos nasa normal school po siya, may mga times na nabu-bully siya, and ako mismo tinatanong ng mga kids bakit hindi siya nakakapagsalita,” Serafico related.

“Pero kahit ganun po lumaki po saying napakasweet sa lahat ng taong nakakasalamuha niya, madalas po siyang mang-hug. Kaya po napalapit ang mga tao sa kanya dahil sa attitude niya po na 'yun,” she added.

Czy is currently enrolled in a school for the hearing impaired, Joseph Gualandi school run by the Sisters of the Little Mission.

“Nakakatulong po ang hearing aid sa kanya ngayon para ma distinguish niya kung ano ang sounds na ginagamit namin. Malaking bagay din po ito kapag may speech class sila,” said Serafico.

“Pero yung nabili palang po namin is para sa left ear niya which is severe po. Yung right ear niya plan po namin bilhin kapag nakangalap na po kami ng enough sa aming Sew-it-yourself kits,” she added.

When asked for her experience in creating DIY kits, she said it was during her wedding in which she worked on the backdrop, bouquets, accessories, her shoes and the “wedding wings.”

The Serafico couple oversee the work on the pattern, the packaging, and delivery of the items.

They are based in Laguna but accepts orders from other areas and delivers by batch. For Metro Manila clients, the delivery is set on Saturdays.

With the coming holidays, the Serafico household has seasonal designs on hand for their DIY sewing kits.

They are now offering Christmas ornaments and Nativity sets aside from the regular items such as the alphabet, dolls, and robots. For those who want to help, you may check out the Facebook account, Cheri Handicrafts. -- BAP, GMA News