Satur is new CLI-CNMI executive director

Susan Satur

The CNMI Center for Living Independently has hired a new executive director.

For nearly 17 years since the CLI-CNMI program was established on Saipan, the program’s executive director has always been Lydia Igitol.

Recently Igitol gave up her spot as the program’s executive director and former educator Susan Satur filled the position last Nov. 20.

“This is a new job for me and it’s quite challenging,” she said.

Since getting on board with the CLI-CNMI program, Satur said there have been about 20 consistent consumers in the program and many others who come once in a while.

Yesterday during the Rotary Club of Saipan’s weekly meeting, Satur was chosen as the guest speaker and shared her future plans for the center.

According to her, the center is not as popular as it should be and as executive director, she is working on further educating the community about the center and what they do.

“We need to educate the community as well. Not a lot of people know what goes on in House 1366 but we’re going to make it happen,” she said.

Satur is in the works of starting a consumable garden at the center where consumers can plant and harvest crops that the center can use to train consumers to cook.

Satur has also written up a proposal to get a van for the center that will be used to teach consumers how to go out and shop for themselves.

The program is dedicated to helping people with disabilities fend for themselves and train them to accomplish basic everyday tasks without the help of others.

“We teach our consumers to be living independently or have the skills they need to live independently or live within a family community and be able to be a part of it by helping out,” said Satur.

The center takes in people with any kind of disabilities, ages 14 and older, and who are willing to take on the challenge of becoming independent despite the setback of their disability.

Each registered individual creates a customized degree plan and from that plan, the center works to help their consumers accomplish their goals.

Although the center is accepting any individual that may have a disability, the center’s assistance is limited to how severe the disability may be.

The center is located on Capitol Hill, House 1366 and it is open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Everyone is welcome to register and it is free of charge.

Satur said the goal is to get as many consumers in as possible and to help as many individuals as they can.