End of the Year Community Service Portfolio AssessmentDongmin ParkCenter of Love in MokattamIndependent Service Learning 2011 - 2012

SMART GOAL 1 - Express love, care, and compassion to those in need
SMART GOAL 2 - Encourage the students to take on challenge and develop their thinking skills according to their capabilities
SMART GOAL 3 - Create fundraising events such as book donations, bake sales, music performances, art galleries, websites for further support

OBSTACLES:

Language barrier
Confusion in communication
Lack of resources
Impatience due to lack of attention/discipline
Conflicting schedules/far location

TASKS:

Organize meetings to give advice on how to treat students and have structured lesson plans
Bring needed materials such as hygiene products, instruments, coloring sheets
As helpers, learn basic Arabic for simple communication
Prepare a simple performance using wind instruments
Make drawings of the children for fundraisers
Be companions and encourage teachers at COL

Aiming for the Target: Goal Setting

SMART Goals

Specific

My goal at the Center of Love is to create a fun and reassuring environment where 6 year-old disabled children can learn the proper ways to keep themselves clean and hygienic.

Measurable

I will know that I have achieved my goal when the children are able to use soaps and hand sanitizers after each activity and meal. Also, I will notice how the children are enjoying our presence to see if they feel safe, contented, and accepting.

Achievable

This is something I want to and sincerely passionate about. Although the children are offered hygienic products, they do not have the habit or the understanding of why keeping themselves clean is important. It will be challenging to teach disabled children a confusing concept since I am neither a trained mentor nor speak the language. However I believe that through demonstrations and repetition the children will be able to achieve the goal.

Realistic

The goal is within my capability, resources, and authority. I am capable of demonstrating how to keep ourselves germ free and purchasing the necessary materials. Money may become an issue if our organization fails to pay for buying soaps and hand sanitizers.

Timely

I would like to see a result by the end of the year, around the end of April or the beginning of May. My goal is not to just see an action, but a habit. I want to see a constant habit of washing hands and keeping materials and surroundings clean.

Journals

Journal 1

Today was my first day at the Center of Love in Mokattam. I have worked with disabled children before, but I always spoke the same language. With this language barrier I did not know what to expect at the Center of Love. A van that we arranged arrived and we took the long highway road to Mokattam. As soon as we entered Garbage City, we could tell as the pungent smell stroked our noses and piles of trash came into our view. It was my first time at Mokattam so everything felt so real. Surprisingly, the center was relatively clean and new, and the people were so friendly and welcoming. The children did not reject us maybe because others frequently help out or perhaps they are just genuinely friendly. I got assigned to the youngest kids who were about four to five years old. They had the purest eyes and the most innocent smile. At first glance I could not believe they were disabled. They were so similar to me. But once I got to interact and teach them my name, I understood that they have a harder time comprehending new information. After few minutes, the children opened up to me more. We started playing with building blocks as we put each one into a box and dumped it back out to repeat. It was such a simple gesture but I thoroughly enjoyed it because I could feel that the children felt secure and happy. Later when it was lunch time they each got out their packed lunch and towels to have their meal. I got my lunch out as well. I was saddened by the sight of their lunch. It wasn't that they had little food, but that they ate large quantities of junk food such as chips, cookies, and packaged snacks. Out of the 7 kids in the room, only 2 of them had bread and beans. Everyone else either put chips in their sandwiches or just had couple bags of chips. I realized that because packaged snacks are cheaper than fresh fruits that was their only choice. That was the first time when poverty really struck my mind. When it became time to leave, I realized that I wanted to come back here again. I wanted to become closer to the children, know each and everyone more personally, and also offer some encouragement to the teachers if I can.

Journal 2

Today was my second day at the Center of Love in Mokattam. It had been awhile since I visited the center so my memory had faded a bit. When I got to the center, I was happy to see some familiar faces and new faces that I didn't get to see last time I visited the center. As I went into my assigned classroom, I was greeted by Simone, who is the oldest kid in the class and the most energetic. I'm not sure if she was happy to see me because she remembered me or if she was just excited to see visitors, but I felt very welcome and familiar. She is one of the happiest kids I've seen and even though at times she can be loud and impatient, I admire her for her positive outlook and ability to lighten up the room. We started playing with rubber animals and trying to match them with the same species. I was surprised by the speed and ability of the kids to match the animals. I felt regretful that I didn't visit the center often because I couldn't see how they developed. Nevertheless, I was really happy to see them develop whether slow or fast. Later when it was time to meet up in the big room for a party, I grabbed the hands of two students around the age of 4. It was the first time that I actually made physical contact with the children. I was surprised by how much they loved physical affection and wanted to hold my hand. I didn't let go of one of the girl's hand until the whole party was over. Next time, I want to be more openly affectionate towards the children especially since they are so young. I don't know them as personally as I wish to, but I'm sure they feel some sort of exclusion or rejection from society. I hope with all my abilities I can make them feel loved and accepted.

Journal 3

Today was my third day at the Center of Love in Mokattam. It felt great to go do service with a good group of people. I think it is truly a great support team and a group of friends. One of the reasons I really enjoy going to the Center of Love is that we distribute responsibility among our members which makes service so much easier, enjoyable, and focused on the children. As we all arrived at the Center, we separated ourselves into different age groups to teach different things. Unlike previous trips, this time I went into the room with older kids around 10 to 16. These students were able to write and read very slowly and do basic computational math. It was very different from the little kids I was used to working with. They weren't as welcoming right away and kept a small distance at first. Later as I did the worksheets with them and played little jokes, they opened up. One particular girl enjoyed doing drawing exercises with me. Whenever I clapped and complimented her after she finished a sheet she couldn't stop smiling. She kept showing me her work, calling out my name, trying to grab attention. I believe attention and care is what they truly crave and desire. Although I don't visit the center everyday, I'm sure the kids can use a bit more attention. Next time I come, I hope I can be more than their mentor and helper. I hope I can be a friend that they can lean on and have fun with. I hope they think of me not as an outsider or a 'they' but 'one of us'.

Journal 4

Today was my fourth day at the Center of Love in Mokattam. I was assigned to the younger kids again. They are the most adorable and cutest kids I have ever seen. At times they can be so silly and funny, like today when they took a hold of my hand and we started spinning in circles and burst out in giggles. Sometimes they can be so intelligent such as when they play with the legos and make shapes that I haven't even thought of. Sometimes they can be impatient and shout or try to do something they aren't supposed to. Whatever they are doing or what mood they are in, I can tell they have grown so much over the past year. When it's time to line up to wash hands before lunch, they do it so much quicker. When it's time to clean up, they start gathering things very neatly. They respond to questions more actively and is a lot more comfortable with me. Although they still don't seem to completely grasp the idea of a hand sanitizer, they surely can wash their faces and hands with soap and water very well. Some may say the things they do are so small, but to me it seems so big. I am so proud of everything that they have achieved so far. I also have learned so much from them. I believe now I am more understanding, patient, and compassionate towards others and the things that occur in my life. The Center of Love is truly something that will be engraved in my heart for a long time.

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Disability Research
AUTISM

What is autism?

Autism is a life-long brain disorder that is usually diagnosed as a child. People have a hard time communicating, forming relationships, and making sense of the world.
The severity and impact differs based on the individual. Some might have sever learning disabilities and some might have normal speech development and IQ.
Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. It affects people of all racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Some children and adults with autism may make eye contact, show affection, smile and laugh, and demonstrate a variety of other emotions. Some go on to hold down responsible employment, have relationships with others, marry and raise children.

Causes

There are few rare genetic disorders and toxic exposures that are known to cause autism.
Most cases of autism are considered idiopathic (no known cause).

Symptoms

Problems in nonverbal communication skills - eye contact, facial expressions, body posture
Difficulties having conversations and constant repetition of language
Limited interests and unusual focus in activities
Need for sameness and routines

Cures

While autism is incurable, the right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to people's lives.

Sources:

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/some-facts-and-statistics.aspx
http://www.autistica.org.uk/about_autism/index.php
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/autism-symptoms

Dongmin Park
Independent Service Learning

Reflection Essay

Service is an action of assistance way to show gratitude, appreciation, and love towards an individual, a community, or to society in general. It should never be done out of selfishness or for one’s own benefit. I think service brings out the humbleness and the goodness out of someone. It keeps a person grounded and benefits those in need with attention and support. I learned so much through my experience at the Center of Love. The Center of Love is located in the Garbage City, Mokattam and is supported by various foreign organizations as well as the local Egyptian teachers and helpers. There are students ranging from age 6 to 15 who were born with a mental disability or have developed them over time. My experience has been extraordinary and has impacted me personally. I learned not to take things for granted and be patient in whatever situation is presented to me. I can only hope that my presence at the center brought joy to the children as well.

Now I believe that for a person to be well-rounded, he or she needs to have experience in service to learn things you can’t learn through books. I think there are three main things that are the most important aspects of service – love, patience, and dedication. First of all, without love I don’t think anyone can take care of someone. As I bonded with the children, I genuinely started loving each and everyone. It allowed me to be concerned for them and to look out for them. Even if they started throwing tantrums my love and concern for them made me look beyond their disability. I could look past their physical barriers and understand what they wanted and needed. Secondly, patience is the key to service. An impatient person would just hurt the children even more. Through obstacles such as language barriers and disabilities, by being patient not only was it easier for me to enjoy providing service at the center, the children didn’t feel pressured and could develop their thinking skills in a comfortable environment. Lastly, dedication is what truly benefits those in needed. To be honest, after my first trip to the center, I did not do a good job at being dedicated. I slacked in going to the center often. After my visits to the center became more frequent, I noticed that the children became more comfortable and development became faster and more apparent. As my group and I organized fun events for the children and fundraisers, I found myself enjoying the experience more as the children enjoyed it more as well. Because service is a act of humble assistance to solve problems and choose the right decisions, love, patience, and dedication is very important. It helps look beyond the disabilities and the physical scars and connect with those in need.

I truly think that I became more grateful towards others, my surroundings, and possessions. I don’t take things for granted as easily and when someone needs help I’m more courageous to offer aid. Whether small or big, I know how to react when someone asks for help. Even when someone doesn’t verbally ask for help, when I see that someone needs assistance I am able to gladly offer any help I can give. Also, now when I look around, I notice the things other people do for the community. I notice those who clean up after an event or voluntarily take care of people who are new. I get a sense of community where society only succeeds when those with extra give to those who don’t. A community is all about sharing and helping, for service is a chain reaction. When someone helps another person, that person benefits and is able to help another person, and so on. I think now I’m challenged to help not the center of love, but in my daily life whether at school or in Maadi.
I’m really proud of my group who worked at the Center of Love. We are a group of students made up of Koreans and one Taiwanese student. I’m really happy about how organized we are. We assigned specific roles to specific people to reduce the pressure of service and make it more enjoyable. We tried to organize music concerts where each of us practice instruments to perform in front of the students. We tried to organize an art gallery where people can look at the art work Joon Ho, who’s in charge of drawing the environment, and possibly buy some to help support the center. We did a bake sale to earn money for hygienic products as well as other materials the center needs. We successfully launched a website made for the center of love to raise awareness and support. As we progressed more throughout the year, I was very proud of my group. Our presence was also apparent at the center. The kids absolutely loved us and always welcomed us with big smiles and hugs. We helped them improve in skills such as writing, math, art, and critical thinking. All students no matter how young or old learned to accept other people not just those who they are familiar with. I’m proud that we made a difference and I am so thankful that the children accepted us and taught us how to be better people.

To reflect on the bigger picture, in the upcoming year I want to focus on challenging the kids to learn new things not just the things they are used to. It will be hard since they might get frustrated and it could possibly hurt the children. I would have to be extra careful and put thoughts in how I’m going to implement change. Service is definitely not something easy or natural. You have to go out of your boundaries and comfort zone, but I believe it is worth it a hundred percent. I hope service can be more appreciated and done by many others out of the good will of their hearts. Through service we can appreciate the things we have that are not necessarily earned by hard work but is freely given to us. We can see through the eyes of the less fortunate and feel compassion. Through sharing we can see that there is more to material gain. The definition of happiness can change through service.