SerWIS (S) (C)

My passion for service began when I attended my first ServICE conference. There, I met individuals who were enthusiastic about giving back to their communities through service clubs and I was instantly inclined to do the same.

A year later, I founded SerWIS with a classmate. The vision we had for SerWIS was the same— helping people in Bangkok who did not have the adequate funds or opportunities to support their needs, to the best of our abilities. I led the club to numerous successful events such as annual Christmas donations to the Mercy Centre, where we raised over 10,000 baht worth of goods and taught the children phonetics by engaging in various activities. We also worked with Camillian Homes, A21, and Second Change Bangkok.

As the leader, I encountered my first major challenge during the coronavirus. I was perplexed as to how I would proceed towards my club’s goal while sitting at home. This led me to brainstorm, day and night, ways I could benefit the community that now had to face the aftermath of the pandemic. My priority was to ensure that there were available resources to maintain hygiene and keep the community safe from the virus. To do this, though, I needed funds that I wasn’t able to acquire during the lockdown, prompting me to apply for the EARCOS Community Citizenship Grant of $500. I was honored to have received the grant which funded my project of creating Medical Kits, holding basic first aid items alongside lots of masks and hand sanitizers, to be donated to 60 residents of the KhlongToey Slum.

From staying in school after everyone had left to countless hours of emailing and calling organizations, I learned that it takes a team of driven, passionate individuals to work towards their common goal. The smiles on the children’s faces and the growing enthusiasm of my club members reminded me that a change, no matter how small, could leave a lasting mark. SerWIS is a true testament to my passion for service, and I am eager to see what the future holds for it.

Investigation:

Over the years, we have incorporated many projects. In 2020, new projects will be taking place. The English-speaking program and the medical kits will be smaller-scaled as it will be primarily taught to the Wells maids and drivers. We would like for them to be able to gain a new level of confidence and communicate with the students with a lack of Thai language skills. The first aid kits are our larger scale priority. Ms. Shweta, our advisor, had pointed us in the direction of the ongoing crises of local slums having the unavailability of sanitary items and first aid kids for their times of need.

Preparation:

Every year, the club has documents outlining activities and visits to the shelter. I create them and the members are given the choice to modify and comment. With everyone's help, the planning is successful. Members' inputs are also taken whilst planning the fundraisers at Wells Events. Each member helps out for every activity, to equally contribute to the funds raised. Next year, the club will hold up to 30 students. It will be divided into two, depending on interest, and will be led by sub-leaders. One group will manage the first aid kit creation, whereas the other group will manage the English teaching program. The meetings will alternate per group every week, in order to ensure quality meeting minutes and hands-on work. There will also be an ongoing document with the details for the smooth operation of the projects, and over the summer a thorough plan of the school year will be outlined. SERWIS Shared Drive

Action:

Our club has already had successful fundraisers, as well as events in order to reach our community and give back. Many of them include our visits to shelters for the holidays, fundraisers, and more. We plan on continuing this throughout next year, and further even after I graduate!

Reflection:

The reason I want to expand this club is because of the feelings of gratitude that emerge from the different projects we have. After all the visitations, we usually ask for feedback and the students are also very satisfied after the trip and even more engaged in the club. Through our fundraisers and donations, we are able to see how much our contributions can affect the NGOs.

Demonstration:

Starting in 2018, we have invited the Camillian Homes to Our school and raised large amounts of money. In December, we also had a trip to Mercy Centre where we had given a lot of donations and Christmas gifts to the children. We also enjoyed activities with them and taught them some English. We did the same thing in 2019, with an addition of a donation week for Second Chance Bangkok. We were going to help them out with a workshop, but COVID-19 got in the way. During social distancing, we have set up a video conference with the A21 organization, to raise awareness on trafficking and ways to abolish it. This way, we are always engaging with our community, one way or another.

Anticipated dates for CAS Project -

2018 - present

Medical Kits

The medical kits are our recent project dedicated to creating DIY medical kits for the residents of the Khlong Toey Slum. We will be incorporating important items in the Medical Kits and they will be donated to the Duang Prateep Foundation who will assist in giving them away. For this, our club won the EARCOS grant of $500.