Members
- Millie :)
- Marcus :)
- Matthias :)
- Zhi Yong :)
- Iffah :)
SL @ Batam Reflections
Day #1
1) What is Service Learning to you?
Marcus : Service Learning is conducting learning in the form of service, for others, family or even yourself.
Matthias : Service Learning is giving back to the community and learning from the experience at the same time.
Zhi Yong : Service Learning includes doing something for a group of underprivileged people and learning from the process.
Iffah : Service Learning is the thoughtful contribution back to the environment and the community, through acts that make a lasting impact.
Millie : Service Learning involves contributing to the less fortunate or community by applying your knowledge and skills for greater benefit of the target audience.
Marcus : Service Learning is conducting learning in the form of service, for others, family or even yourself.
Matthias : Service Learning is giving back to the community and learning from the experience at the same time.
Zhi Yong : Service Learning includes doing something for a group of underprivileged people and learning from the process.
Iffah : Service Learning is the thoughtful contribution back to the environment and the community, through acts that make a lasting impact.
Millie : Service Learning involves contributing to the less fortunate or community by applying your knowledge and skills for greater benefit of the target audience.
Day #2
Group discussion
While we were helping out at Alaqsho, we were actually bonding between ourselves as we helped one another and worked together as a team. A few of us also had interactions with the children and had fun as well. What we did was a simple task but may be long term beneficial to the children as they would have a new space to play in safely.
Individual reflections
Marcus : I felt that this trip was not sufficient in duration as I feel that we actually did not do much for the beneficiaries. Overall, we donated a washing machine, bricks and cement while also having basic cleanup and clothes donation drive, that was all we did. What we did was more of on a superficial scale as compared to an actual learning experience. However, I felt really proud at the adaptability of everyone even though we had kind of a slow reaction but everyone was able to listen to instructions when given and carry them out which is an important skill in service learning projects which is to adapt to situations.
Matthias : I felt that as we just helped them with transporting and buying of the bricks, I could not see that much of an immediate benefit to them. But after thinking, I realised that this is just a long term plan whereby w helped them by allowing them to start completing the buildings and being able to use it for their purposes.
Zhi Yong : Today was quite tiring but it was pretty fun though. Even though cleaning up the place might benefit the children, it was like they do not have a practice of having proper hygiene so even after we cleaned the place, they did not know how to appreciate what we did. It seemed like what we think will benefit them might not actually benefit them. They may already be used to the conditions there such that they do not realise they require any help. Still, today was really fun helping out at the orphanage!
Iffah : I feel today has been satisfying. Although the beneficiary may be receiving a form of help, I believe that today would not have left that deep an impact to the children themselves. They are still stuck as creatures of habit and the parade square would not be able to contribute to their need. We could have asked the orphanage if they required help, instead of assuming possible assistance they may have needed. This would have prevented many of the "unforeseen circumstance" we had to face. Nonetheless, the entire project has managed to help the beneficiary and its basic needs.
Millie : Today was a tiring day. As I helped clean the areas in Alaqsho, one thing was on my mind the whole time : "how would I like it if I lived in these dirty conditions with flies everywhere?" This questions pushed me to do a better cleaning job as I believed the children would feel more comfortable then. However, as I observed the children at Alaqsho, I realised that they were not affected by these, what we term as, "dirty conditions" because to them, it was what they grew up in. So really, has what we have done made an impact to them at all? I am still glad that we managed to provide supplies to finish the uncompleted building as this would ensure the safety of the children as well as create a new space for them to use.
While we were helping out at Alaqsho, we were actually bonding between ourselves as we helped one another and worked together as a team. A few of us also had interactions with the children and had fun as well. What we did was a simple task but may be long term beneficial to the children as they would have a new space to play in safely.
Individual reflections
Marcus : I felt that this trip was not sufficient in duration as I feel that we actually did not do much for the beneficiaries. Overall, we donated a washing machine, bricks and cement while also having basic cleanup and clothes donation drive, that was all we did. What we did was more of on a superficial scale as compared to an actual learning experience. However, I felt really proud at the adaptability of everyone even though we had kind of a slow reaction but everyone was able to listen to instructions when given and carry them out which is an important skill in service learning projects which is to adapt to situations.
Matthias : I felt that as we just helped them with transporting and buying of the bricks, I could not see that much of an immediate benefit to them. But after thinking, I realised that this is just a long term plan whereby w helped them by allowing them to start completing the buildings and being able to use it for their purposes.
Zhi Yong : Today was quite tiring but it was pretty fun though. Even though cleaning up the place might benefit the children, it was like they do not have a practice of having proper hygiene so even after we cleaned the place, they did not know how to appreciate what we did. It seemed like what we think will benefit them might not actually benefit them. They may already be used to the conditions there such that they do not realise they require any help. Still, today was really fun helping out at the orphanage!
Iffah : I feel today has been satisfying. Although the beneficiary may be receiving a form of help, I believe that today would not have left that deep an impact to the children themselves. They are still stuck as creatures of habit and the parade square would not be able to contribute to their need. We could have asked the orphanage if they required help, instead of assuming possible assistance they may have needed. This would have prevented many of the "unforeseen circumstance" we had to face. Nonetheless, the entire project has managed to help the beneficiary and its basic needs.
Millie : Today was a tiring day. As I helped clean the areas in Alaqsho, one thing was on my mind the whole time : "how would I like it if I lived in these dirty conditions with flies everywhere?" This questions pushed me to do a better cleaning job as I believed the children would feel more comfortable then. However, as I observed the children at Alaqsho, I realised that they were not affected by these, what we term as, "dirty conditions" because to them, it was what they grew up in. So really, has what we have done made an impact to them at all? I am still glad that we managed to provide supplies to finish the uncompleted building as this would ensure the safety of the children as well as create a new space for them to use.
Day #3
Individual reflections
Questions : What are your feelings and thoughts after interacting with the children at Alaqsho? How beneficial do you think the project was? What do you think can be improved?
Matthias : I felt that these children need more attention and care. Sometimes the boys get a bit rowdy and rude and they need to learn to care and help each other instead. Although I believe that setting up the solar panels would have been more beneficial, what we have done would also help them long term. They would require less time to complete the building and use it. I think that we could have done some research on what are the "Dos and Donts" of the country, and find out if building the solar panels was legal. Then again miscommunication was the main cause of the problem.
Iffah : After interaction with the children, I have realised that the act of service which could have been more emphasised on was love and care. Aside from their basic needs met, the children are not in an environment where they are receiving the most care and attention. I feel that our project was very beneficial as we were able to contribute to improving the children's lives both long and short term by buying the bricks and playing with them. I understand the project was made with the intention to improve the lives of these children, but not enough considerations were put in the planning. I believe if all aspects of the service was thought through, such as the issue with the solar panels and fine, the project would have been very beneficial and go according to plan.
Millie : After interacting with the children, I cannot understand why their parents would bear to leave them alone in the orphanage. They are just like any other child of the same age, as adorable and innocent, and should they not get equal attention from their parents? I feel that although our project did not go according to plan, we managed to come up with a second plan relatively quickly and managed to be of help to Alaqsho, which was good. However, the project could be improved by planning more activities for the children, by first getting to know them on the first day, and subsequently working on activities that would suit them in terms of emotional impacts.
As what I shared during the last reflection, Service Learning is very subjective. I guess it has always been the 'key understanding' of alot of students that all these overseas service learning/community involvement can only be considered 'authentic' only when we need to be staying in undesirable conditions and working our guts out in the hot sun doing manual work -_-" All these.....not true lol! Service can take form in many ways. Yup, manual work is one....the simple donation of the washing machine and the bricks and cement for the rooms has lightened Ibu's (house mother) load of having to wash the clothes of these young orphans and allowing her space to take in more orphans (who are very often, simply abandoned at the orphanage's doorstep).
ReplyDeleteThough we did not achieve what we have set out to do, and some may not agree that what was subsequently done is sustainable, to me personally; the team had accomplish what you set out to do. You have accomplished your want to SERVE. I guess if you have not had the intention to serve, you would not have signed up for the project ;)
Imagine if we have insisted on building the solar panel and the orphanage ultimately gets fined by the indonesian government....don't you think we will have caused more harm than help? :)