Project week LO6

Mercy Center- Service Learning – Project Week Action Plan

 

This service is needed because the people in the center are not as privileged as us, how we are always able to be educated in a good environment. Since the children sometimes do not have as good an environment to study then us, we think this service would be needed for motivational support where children can enjoy their learning at school more than they had been. Also, as we set up activities and games for the children, we would be able to help the children increase their collaboration and communication skills. 

Mercy Center also referred as The Human Development Foundation (HDF) is a non-profit and non-denominational organization in Bangkok, Thailand. Mercy Center support both children and adults providing “a shelter for street kids, five orphanages, a hospice, a home for mothers and children with HIV/AIDS, a 400-pupil kindergarten, a community meeting place, and a serene haven in the slums with small gardens and playgrounds.” It has since expanded into a network of over 30 schools all over Bangkok, which have graduated an estimated 35,000 children. They are continuing to expand services to orphans, street children, and children with HIV/AIDS to improve the quality of life for these children. 

The HDF was established by Roman Catholic Redemptorist priest Father Joe Maier with Sister Maria Chantavaradom in 1975. It began as a single one-baht-a-day preschool for every child in the SlaughterHouse, including children of all religions and circumstances. The Mercy Center cares deeply about inclusivity and equality. Children who are economically and socially disadvantaged are treated differently from others, such as children living with HIV. Father Joe Maier says, “We here at the Mercy Centre continue to fight but our fight is not just about the virus. Ignorance, discrimination and isolation limits opportunities to fully participate, preventing them from living full and happy lives.” By investigating the NGO, we were able to understand that we need to make sure they feel included and teach them skills that can help them have more opportunities in their future, just like other children. 

Running hour service(LO6)

“RUNNINGHOUR is an inclusive running club, promoting integration of people with special needs through running.
We have friends who are mildly intellectually challenged, physically challenged, hearing challanged, and visually challenged joining us to keep fit.
We welcome anyone passionate about running to join us as running guides.”

What did I learn about this issue?/Why is this a significant issue?

  • Caring for the disabled is a very important issue, although many people say they will care about the disabled, but how many people actually do it? Running Hour truly cares for the disabled and encourages them to live and exercise like others. Many volunteers (such as me) participate in this service and try their best to help them and improve themselves.

 

  • With the increase of policy attention and social concern, it has become an irresistible trend for the disabled to go out of their homes and integrate into the society. For example: disabled people go to school, disabled people get jobs, are hot topics at present, I believe in the future there will be more disabled friends, more disabled friends will be integrated into the society. But how to actually see them and be with them normally? The word “compassion” is inherently unequal, and people with disabilities are human beings, like all people in the world, equal. And I believe no one likes to be pitied by others.
    We do not have to treat the disabled to deliberately sympathy or help, that will only hurt their self-esteem. Don’t worry about being insensitive, as most disabled people will appreciate your indifference. We appreciate that other people don’t push us around, don’t put on colored glasses, don’t go messing around, understand how difficult it is, don’t stare at them unpolitely, don’t point and whisper, and lend a helping hand if they ask for

 

  • Disabled people are equal members of the big family of society and an important force in the development of human civilization. Caring for disabled people is an important symbol of social progress

 

CAS#9

International Women’s day

Why is equality such an important issue?

-Gender equality has always been a problem. Although it has been improved a lot, it still has not changed the thinking of some people’s gender inequality. Women and girls occupy half of the world’s population and therefore also the world’s potential
half of the force. But nowadays, gender inequality is widespread, and it can stagnate social progress. Gender equality can bring economic development, promote development, and the process of achieving gender equality is also a process of human social progress.

In terms of group nature, it is a fact that men are stronger than women because women have worse physical strength than men and are less aggressive than men. This is physiologically determined, not prejudice. Just because of a person’s gender, they will be treated unfairly, and this unfairness is more serious for women.

In terms of values, justice is our ultimate pursuit. Equal treatment is not equal to justice. If only men and women’s toilets are set in the same place, women’s toilets have to be lined up. This is not equal. In the case of equality, when men and women have the same amount of food in the famine, men are hungry, which is not fair. Equality is not justice. We can never stop at equality and give up our efforts in the direction of justice.

SGM music with children LO6

What impact have my actions had on this global issue?

I joined one service called “music with SGM children”, our mission is to play the music with children there, the main purpose of our service is to play with children, and the theme of playing is around music, so we usually play music for children to dance, or play small games like musical chairs, and we finish the service on one day by reading a storybook for them.

On the SGM Murni website, the childcare centre’s objectives focus on:

  • Offering a holistic approach encompassing cognitive, aesthetic and moral development.
  • Developing each children capability as a unique individual who learns and develops on his/ her own rate.
  • Providing creative learning experiences for young children.
  • Enhancing the curriculum that provides interesting and varied activities based, within thematic modules.

We went there as student volunteers, we focus on the global issue about children’s good health and well-being, we help them build confidence, show them the importance of collaboration and team-work, they are happy to learn all the talents during music games time.