I have been a participant in the Tabitha Cambodia Global Concern for four years and have contributed a diverse range of skill sets throughout the years. In the previous two years, I served as the Vice Chair and then the Chair respectively. This year, I am the finance manager. Similar to many of my other activities, I have a dedicated work ethic, willingness to learn more about Tabitha and have developed proficient event management skills through hosting events, I want to continue to cultivate these skills. I would like to improve by following the Tabitha website and social media pages more closely as usually the forms of service we have contributed have been more indirect as opposed to direct. I have improved holistically as a service learner since I have been able to take up different roles at different times, contributing to my overall growth. This year, one of our key objectives is to plan a trip to the NGO in Cambodia to make a direct impact by visiting those in need and building houses. (LO1) Thus, since the past few sessions, we have been focusing on planning a CAS experience to the foundation. However, unlike other service trips, this requires immense funding to build the houses which we will have to raise through fundraising activities or being sponsored by our family members. It had put us in a dilemma on whether or not we should go ahead with this trip due to the extreme amount of funding necessary, however, we have decided to continue with our idea and see how it fares along. I have begun to consider the supplementary finances we require and devising a spreadsheet with all the expected costs; this was quite daunting at the start as I have never been involved with planning finances and furthermore with a trip in which I will go alone along with other students. (LO2) I showed my commitment to this activity by attending option sessions to converse with the Head of Service regarding logistical queries and I helped in taking the minutes during some sessions despite not taking up a leadership role this year. (LO4) I collaborated with many student participants in this service as well as two teachers. Everyone was committed towards the service aims which made it relatively easy for me to collaborate with them and none of the members tried to solely assert their own opinion. Everyone was open-minded and easy to talk to in case of a difficulty faced. Additionally, unlike what I have seen in other instances, in this global concern, the teachers were also actively involved in the process and with both of them being engaged in the process we were able to take valuable inputs from them whilst the major decisions were being taken by students. ( LO5) Being in this global concern for several years, I have had adequate knowledge of what their mission is. I have consolidated my knowledge on how the vicious cycle of poverty cannot be broken solely by unsustainable donations, and that the best means of making change is to make them for self-sufficient. Thus, through microfinance measures, impoverished Cambodians have been able to establish enterprises, an innovative solution providing their family with a sustainable income. In the sustainability compass at the top of the post, I have addressed the interconnectedness of what Tabitha aims to do in light of four domains- nature, economy, society and well being.( LO6)
