Cebu Normal University (CNU) has launched a new initiative under the Innovative CNU Assistance and Relief Effort (iCARE) Program called Adopt-a-Student to assist students who are stranded in Cebu during the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

iCARE: Adopt-a-Student was officially launched last Friday, May 1, 2020 online through the University’s Public Information Office (PIO) Facebook account. 

Read related article: [iCARE: CNU’s means of saying it cares] 

The initiative calls for donors to provide stranded students with basic needs or financial assistance while they cannot return to their homes yet due to the ECQ.

The iCARE: Adopt-a-Student project is facilitated by the CNU Office of Student Affairs (OSA) in coordination with the CNU Supreme Student Council (SSC).

According to Mrs. Gwendelina Villarante, Dean of Student Affairs, there are 131 reported cases of stranded CNU students as of May 1, 2020. As of May 4, 2020, 79 students have already been provided assistance.

She said that the administration became aware of the situation of stranded students through the concerns forwarded by the iCARE Student Communication Center (SCC).

Villarante said that most stranded students reported to prefer staying in the city because of the fast internet connection used for school works and were not able to anticipate that the lockdown would be extended. 

She said that other students had difficulty getting a ride home, while others expressed having financial constraints in doing the same. 

“Most donors of the program are teachers,” Villarante said. There are also non-teaching staff, while some are friends of faculty members tapped by the teachers themselves to help the students. 

She said that they individually called those students who were stranded to identify their location. The location of the students were used to connect them with possible donors living near their area to provide them with their needs.    

Villarante said that they are thankful to those people who helped the stranded students. She said that they have been receiving gratitude messages from the students expressing how happy and grateful they are to be taken care of by the school. (JDF)