I would like to play a part in helping other in
my region, people who I might not know personally but are still there and in
need. My main motivation for doing this activity is that I am constantly
hearing bad news about the economy in Spain and how people are losing their
jobs, people who can’t pay their rent and are kicked out of their homes… Even
if it is a very small contribution I am making, I am still aiding these people
in some way and I know that they will appreciate every last package of food
that is put into those boxes. I will be informing people about what this
consists of but at the same time, I will urge them to contribute since it
benefits us all as a society. It is a hard activity to measure accomplishment
in but I think it will depend mostly on how many people who are customers at
the supermarket actually participate.
DURING THE ACTIVITY:
4. Worked
collaboratively with others When at
the supermarket, I will be working with others to coordinate the different
tasks to be carried out, One is informing customers about the food bank and
what it consists of, another is handing out bags to put the bought products in,
and the boxes also need to be stacked with the donations. In order for us to be
efficient and coordinated, collaboration is key.
5. Shown
perseverance and commitment in their activities I would like to carry out this activity more than just this once if
possible, perhaps volunteering at the place where all the food is stocked and
distributed or also collaborating the following year (in my second year of IB,
Grade 12) as this is always done before Christmas.
6. Engaged with
issues of global importance Poverty is
an issue which touches the entire world. Although more extreme in some places
than in others, this act raises awareness that families close to us are in need
and that we can do something to help them.
7. Considered
the ethical implications of their actions People wonder where ethics lie in such acts because many believe that it
is the government’s duty to help its citizens. However, me helping in this
cause of the food drive where the generosity of others is the source of
happiness of others will contribute to helping those in need.
8. Developed
new skills I will develop interpersonal
skills as I will be informing and dealing with the customers of the
supermarket, and will have to do this in the most appropriate and effective
way.
DAY 1: Saturday, November 29th, 2014 (11:30-14:00)
Today I spent the day at the foodbank at a supermarket in Sopelana. It was the supermarket I used to go to when I would come out of the dentist and in previous years, I had seen other participants there but I never payed much attention to them because I didn't really know what they were doing. We started handing out bags and saying "this is for the food bank" but I realized that not as many people as I would have liked were participating. I remembered back to when I used to be a customer of the store and not a participator in the charity and was reminded of how the reason I didn't really pay attention to the event not because I didn't want to but because I hadn't really been informed. I thought of how a lack of understanding might be cause these people to not want to participate and for the rest of the time I was there, I was committed to informing the people who walked by about what we were doing. I spoke to them nicely, talked about what we would do with the goods we collected, what kinds of goods would be best to donate and also listened to people's opinions about what we were doing. I found that many people appreciated what we were doing because they themselves had family that were having economic problems and could not even afford the most basic things. I also learned that there is a lot of resentemt against the government because of how they are dealing with the economic crisis. This has increased my awareness of the situation of the country. By the time we were done, we filled two and a half boxes with oil, beans, cookies, milk, baby food and other products families might need. It felt good to walk away from the place knowing that the food I had helped collect would get to people and to know that my work was being appreciated by both the people at the store and also the families in need that even though I wouldn't come into contact with them, I contributed positively to their lives in some way.
DAY 2: Saturday, November 28th 2015 (9:30-12:00)
Like last year, I wanted to participate again in the Christmas food bank. This time I did it in another supermarket than last year but I found the experience to be just as fulfilling. Being for the same cause as the year before, it was nice to see a continuation of a previous activity and that it wasn't just a one time thing, but that food is recollected like this regularly for people in need. I also noticed a lot more volunteers this year. I was with another three friends from class this time instead of just one. It was good to see that there is a constantly increasing number of people involved in this activity to help other, and it also means that I had the opportunity to complete one of the CAS learning outcomes which is to work collaboratively with others. We took turns with the different tasks this activity entailes which were: 1- to explain to customers what we were doing, 2- hand them plastic bags to put the food they were going to donate in to make it easier for them, and 3- load up boxes with the products people donated. We took turns doing these so that we all got a chance to do each of them, and this way fully profit from the experience and its different aspects. Personally my favorite wa loading up the boxes because seeing them empty and them filling made me feel like I was being productive and actually getting someting that matters accomplished. I do have to say however that it was interesting to talk to customers and explain what we were doing and observe reactions. Some were reluctant to evenm consider giving anything becasue they had suspicions that it might not be a completely reliable charity. Instead of simply dismissing these customers and potential donors, I did my best to explain that it was the official foodbank which was overseeing the activity, and that the food would then be taken to a storage place where it would then be distributed to the familes on a list for those who had difficulties providing for themselves and their chidren. Many seemed to be conforted by these explinations since they were skeptical at first. Understanding their point of view helped me set up better arguments to convince them that every euro spent would count, and ade me aware that I am capable of communicating effectively since many (but not all) ended up convinced, which is an important skill to develop in life, and even more if it can help me make a difference in issues of global importance as is hunger and economic difficulties in my country right now.
AFTER THE ACTIVITY:
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