India- International First Aid Outreach

Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process; Show commitment to, and perseverance in, CAS experiences; Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

Reflection:

While I have taken up many leadership roles in my church’s worship team, children’s teaching team, and my local community’s service projects for essential workers and the elderly, but one that has deeply and positively affected my life and the lives of many others is the project I led in India in 2019 about the importance of first aid.

Service has always been a passion of mine, and when I was required by the International Baccalaureate Program (IB Program) to participate in the Personal Project, an opportunity for students to show their creativity and passion on a local scale with global connections, my initial idea was to coordinate a drive for homeless shelters or medical clinics in my local community.

Unfortunately, my grandfather living in India passed away in January. My family planned to visit my relatives at the end of the school year, so I changed my project to have a direct global impact- I would teach children in India about first aid and donate first aid kits for their personal use.

This was an exceptionally challenging leadership experience for me because there was a language barrier between me and the children, I had no physical help in carrying out this project, and I was still struggling with my mental health after my grandfather’s passing.

Despite these setbacks, I pursued my idea and collaborated with the children’s program at the church my grandmother attends, Victory Harvest Church in Hyderabad, India, to teach 20 Sunday school kids a lesson about health and basic first aid rules. I gave each child their very own first aid kit with alcohol pads, antiseptic, and bandaids to keep, and these first aid kits had the kids so excited to be “doctors” for their families and friends.

My family assisted me by providing fluid translation between English and Telugu (the Indian language we speak), purchasing the items needed for the kits, and being steady, patient supporters and leaders along with me to handle the children’s energy.

By following my passion of serving those who need it most, I improved my determination, perseverance, organizing skills, time management, and most importantly, my leadership skills, through this successful project.