IZYAN HANIS BINTI MOHAMAD ZAWAWI (KIA160107)

Assalamualaikum and hi everyone! I hope everyone is in a good health. Our project has come to an end so today I am about to write my last inner thoughts about the project. Before I start, I want to thank Dr. Majid Mirzaei, the instructor of this course who guided us to complete this project smoothly. 

First thing first, I would like to expose what did I learnt in taking this course generally. Social engagement course is a vital subject I guess for university students to take. This is because students can get many things especially, they can increase their level of confident. Based on my experience, I saw many changes in myself for example my confident levels gained. I became more talkative and being more open-minded in giving and exchanging opinions with my group members. Moreover, I learnt how to write blog posting very well which I seldom writing a blog before. It is a good decision to ask students to write ongoing reflections using the blog. 

Besides, I learnt how to deal and communicate with NGO person. Throughout this project, we need to communicate and deal with the chief of Toy Library, Datin PH Wong. Also, we communicated and did a sharing session with Mr Tan and Mr Hor, the good inventor’s men. This is kind of useful for us in the future especially when we enter a working phase because we already know the way to talk and deal to that parties. Next, we chose to handle activities with children thus, we learnt how to treat and attract the children in an attractive way.

Specifically, from the point of social impact, the broader impacts that I learnt from this project are first I can strengthen my friendship with my group members which is very good because until now, this friendship is remains. Secondly, I can socialize with the children from Idaman Apartment especially the Go Green Rangers. Thirdly, I can interact and got opportunity to work together with one of the NGO’s person who is Datin PH Wong, chief of Toy Library and Aunty Jameyah, one of the volunteers who helped us to do activity with the children of Idaman Apartment. 

Other than that, what I learnt about the community was I noticed that the children had no suitable place to relax their mind and play with their friends. This is due to narrow and crowded area since it is a low-cost apartment. But, with the existence of Toy Library, they can play with their friends during free time. Next, I found out that the community had no active society association to plan for activity like cleaning up rubbish. That is why the area is dirty and unmanaged. Besides, just because the community mostly came from different background styles, they preferred to mind their own business rather than to socialize with neighbors. They might be stressful and can affect their life and health if they still live this way. 

What I learnt about their needs was they really need someone who can on duty to take care of the Toy Library so that they can come to the Toy Library every evening and every weekend. Plus, they need a strong community association to keep the Idaman Apartment perfectly. For the quality of service provided, what did I learnt was when we met them to hear their stories and their needs, we noticed some of them are lacking love due to busy parents. Some of them act like they need attention because they feel very happy when we came to visit them. 

Moreover, when we are planning activity for them, they feel excited to do a carnival day. They planned so many activities like sports, selling foods and drinks. From here, I realized that they need fun activities to do with their friends. They do not want to feel boring and stress after school time. During the carnival day, we taught them how to do fruit salad and egg sandwich. They eager want to learn and help us to do. Besides, we taught them how to do origamis and rattan butterfly. They excited with it and we really satisfied that we can make them happy on that day. 

From the point of personal and professional development, I realized my strength which is I can give full commitment in completing tasks or projects. But I also realized my weakness which is I unable to get along with new people in a quick time. I may take some time to get along with the community in Idaman Apartment. Plus, I have several assumptions before the project takes place. My first thought was I am so afraid that the community in Idaman Apartment did not give full cooperation to us. My second thought was I expected that we did not have enough budget to do this project. Plus, CiTRA and Datin PH Wong gave us some money to do the project. Lastly, I really want to be someone who can inspire others. Becoming a person with a positive mind and positive heart. I hope one day I can be like Datin PH Wong who is willingly to help those in need.

Finally, it's the time for me to share with you guys about my groupmates. My group consisted of ten members. As I did not know some of them that well in the beginning, one of the hardest tasks was to estimate how everyone’s attitude towards working in a team was like and how much effort every single member is going to put in this project. In the very beginning, we created a Whatsapp Group in order to have a fast and easy way to communicate as everyone is reachable on their mobile phone almost constantly. 

Honestly, I like my groupmate because they functioned as they supposed to be. Everyone is prepared, knows beforehand what task they must fulfill and prepares their individual part satisfyingly. Hence, trust and confidence are established, and the collaboration is working out. Correspondingly, I favor considering and sharing opinions within the group. Concerning the fact that we now know each other already and I have developed a feeling of how every team member is performing individually and I would work with the same team again. Officially, I, Izyan Hanis binti Mohamad Zawawi signing off from Civangers UM :)