Final Exam (Reflection)

 Final Exam

Aysha Alromaihi (3319)

As someone who has volunteered for community service, I can say that one of the most challenging parts for me was finding the time to commit to it. As a university student, I already have a busy schedule with classes, assignments, and exams, and it can be difficult to fit in volunteering around all of that. Another challenge was coordinating my schedules with the organizations or community groups I was volunteering with. Sometimes they had specific times or days when they needed volunteers, and it didn't always align with my schedule. This was especially challenging if the organization was located far from where I lived or if I didn't have access to reliable transportation.in addition, some of the tasks involved in community service were physically demanding, such as carrying heavy boxes or doing manual labor. As someone who isn't used to that kind of work, it was definitely a challenge for me. However, I found that the satisfaction of helping others and making a positive impact on the community made it all worthwhile. Overall, while there are certainly challenges to community service, I believe that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. Volunteering has allowed me to gain valuable experience, develop new skills, and make connections with people and organizations in my community. It's a rewarding experience that I would recommend to anyone who has the opportunity to do it.

 

Moreover, the most rewarding part of my experience was knowing that I was making a positive impact on the lives of others. Through my volunteer work, I had the opportunity to help people who were in need, both locally and internationally. For example, we volunteered to help refugees from both Turkey and Syria who were in our community. It was a powerful experience to be able to help people who were struggling to start a new life in a new country and to see the impact that our work had on their lives. It made me realize how much of a difference small acts of kindness and support can make in someone's life. Another rewarding experience was when we wrapped gifts for children in need during the holiday season. It was heartwarming to see the joy on their faces when they received the gifts and to know that we were making a difference in their lives. Overall, the most rewarding part of my community service experience was knowing that I was able to make a positive influence on the lives of others, no matter how small. Seeing the impact of our work and the difference it made in people's lives was a truly humbling experience, and it has inspired me to continue volunteering and giving back to my community.

 

Furthermore, I learned many valuable lessons from the experience. Here are five things that stand out:

 

1) The power of teamwork: One of the biggest things I learned was the importance of working as a team. When everyone works together, we can accomplish so much more than we could individually. It was inspiring to see how our collective efforts could make a real difference in the community.

 

2) The value of empathy: Volunteering for a charity allowed me to connect with people. It taught me to put myself in other people's shoes and to empathize with their struggles. This helped me develop greater compassion and understanding, which I believe will serve me well in all areas of my life.

 

3) The impact of small actions: Sometimes it's easy to feel like our actions don't matter but volunteering for a charity showed me that even small actions can have a big impact. Whether it's wrapping gifts for children, organizing books, or simply lending a listening ear, every little bit helps.

 

4) The importance of giving back: Through my volunteer work, I learned how important it is to give back to the community. It's easy to get caught up in our own lives and problems, but volunteering allowed me to step outside of myself and focus on helping others. By giving back, we can make a real difference in the world around us.

 

5) The value of time: Volunteering for a charity taught me to appreciate the value of time. When we give our time to others, we are giving one of our most precious resources. It's important to use our time wisely and to make the most of the opportunities we have to make a positive impact on the world.

 

To sum up, my experience volunteering for a charity was incredibly rewarding and taught me many valuable lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I feel grateful for the opportunity to have made a difference in the lives of others and to have grown as a person in the process.

 

In conclusion, Volunteering for a charity was a transformative experience that changed my view of many things. It opened my eyes to the struggles that many people face on a daily basis, and it helped me gain a deeper appreciation for the power of community and the importance of giving back. One major thing that this experience changed for me was my view of privilege. Before volunteering for a charity, I had never really considered the extent to which my life was privileged compared to others. Working with people who were struggling to make ends meet or who had experienced significant hardship made me more aware of the privileges I had taken for granted. Additionally, volunteering for a charity changed my view of the role of the community in addressing social issues. I had always believed that the government and other large institutions were best equipped to address social problems, but my experience showed me the power of grassroots efforts and the importance of community involvement. I saw firsthand how small acts of kindness and support could make a real difference in people's lives. Finally, volunteering for a charity also changed my view of the potential impact of individual actions. Before this experience, I had often felt disillusioned and powerless to effect change in the world. However, my experience volunteering showed me that every individual has the power to make a difference, no matter how small. By taking action and working together, we can effect real change in our communities and in the world at large. In addition, volunteering for a charity was a deeply transformative experience that changed my view of many things. It helped me gain a deeper appreciation for the value of community, the power of individual actions, and the importance of giving back to those in need.

Aysha Alkooheji,3404

I feel that I faced several minor challenges, but the most difficult one of them personally was coordinating the schedule of work in the charity with my university schedule and all my other responsibilities, in addition to the fact that the pressure of the university was enormous this semester, so I was constantly tired physically and mentally, and the lack of sleep hours, I thought over and over if it would be better for me to just quit, but this idea vanished when we went to work in the third week and I had discovered that our work was already fruitful, as the boxes that we had worked on packing prior had arrived in Syria and Turkey.

I feel that the second question answers itself. Personally, when I saw the impact of our work in the charity and the extent of our supervisors’ gratitude, I felt happy because I was able to extend a helping hand to them, even if it was small. As I mentioned earlier, when I learned that the aid funds reached those affected by the earthquake, I felt grateful because even though I donated financially However, working to help pack things made me feel that I really helped seriously, and also when we worked on several things that serve my Bahraini community, such as packing children products, cleaning the library or sorting papers, all these simple tasks that would ease the work of Ms. Huda, Iman, and Fatima because they all are truly wonderful and hardworking people who are keeping the charity’s work going on flawlessly.

First, I learned about the types of ethical and unethical volunteering, and I am now able to distinguish between them.

Secondly, I learned about the various means of promoting volunteerism (methods of Advocacy).

Thirdly, I can now distinguish between the volunteer work that I can participate in and that I should not participate in, which happens after the evaluation of my talents and experiences, and how it will serve the volunteer work and how I can participate.

Fourthly, what is the actual work of Al-Nour charity Before working for them, I did not know how difficult or complicated it would be to operate the organization and produce work that would actually serve and be sustainable for the targeted members of the community.

Fifthly, every help counts. Al-Noor charity appreciates the aid and donations they receive that help those in need, sometimes I feel like if I were to make a small donation as much as I could it wouldn't make a difference, but now I know it really does matter.

            Finally, this experience made me thank God for blessings that I usually don't notice. For example, family security, physical health, and my general living conditions are the things that I am most accustomed to, and I did not know that some people do not have these basic things that I did not know the true importance of. I always praise God (Alhamdulillah for all the blessings), I feel because I was brought up by a great mother who made me aware of the importance of these things, and therefore they became like theoretical lessons that we do not see but rather only on paper. But now I'm not only praising God, but I feel it's my responsibility to extend a helping hand whenever I can and whatever the means is.

Lulwa Alkhalifa 3387

 First of all, the scheduling of the lessons and the work we did there are two of the more difficult aspects for me. At university, I only got a one-hour break, which became my volunteering time and is no longer considered a break. I was under a lot of pressure to leave my first class and be at the al-Noor charity in only 15 minutes. Moreover, the job we did for the Al-Noor charity was a little exhausting; we wrapped more than 30 gifts for orphans and packed help boxes for Syria and Turkey, which were particularly heavy for me. We also prepared Ramadan boxes and distributed zakat al-Fitr, which is difficult to witness when people are in need. But in the end, it was all worthwhile since seeing others happy and knowing that I contributed to their pleasure helped me forget all I had done.

Speaking of the most rewarding part of my community service, it made me feel fortunate that I was able to help those that needed it. Most people experience happiness, contentment, and fulfillment when they assist others.  You could feel thankful and proud of yourself for being able to improve someone's life and contribute back to your community. If you provide for others, your own life may feel more worthwhile and have direction. In general, you could feel a variety of emotions, but you probably feel satisfied that you were able to make some impact.

Moreover, in volunteering at the Al-Noor charity, I have learned many things that will help me in the future. Such as:

1-   Empathy: My awareness of the problems that people who live in poverty experience may deepen because of my involvement with organizations that provide relief to disadvantaged communities. I could be more able to appreciate and care about other people consequently.

2.  Communication: Since I might need to communicate with people from all backgrounds and educational levels when volunteering for organizations, it is beneficial to my communication skills.

3  Teamwork: To fulfill our mission, many organizations rely on groups of volunteers. I may hone my collaboration abilities and discover how to collaborate with others to achieve a shared objective by volunteering.

4- Problem-solving: Complex issues and difficulties are frequently faced by charities. While working to overcome these difficulties as a volunteer, I can improve my problem-solving abilities.

      Leadership: By volunteering for charities, I could be able to develop my leadership skills. I can be asked to take on greater responsibility as I learn more and to mentor other volunteers as they strive to accomplish the goals of the nonprofit organization.

In general, volunteering your time to a charitable organization to aid the less fortunate may be a pleasant experience that can teach you important life skills and has a big beneficial influence on your community.

Finally, helping others who are less fortunate by volunteering in organizations that do so may affect how we see a number of things. The following things, for example, may have an impact on how volunteering modifies our perspective:

1.     Being aware of poverty's reality: We may become more aware of the reality of poverty and have a better understanding of the challenges that impoverished people face on a daily basis if we volunteer at a charity. This can help us develop a better sense of gratitude for the things we frequently take for granted and compassion for others who are less fortunate than us.

2.     A sentiment of appreciation being nurtured: Volunteering can help us to cultivate a sense of gratitude for the things we have in life. Because they make us more grateful for what we have, those who live in poverty might encourage us to value what we have and give back to our communities.

3.     gaining knowledge about many cultures and societies: Our exposure to many cultures and communities that we might not have had much prior exposure to can also be increased through volunteering for organizations. As a result, we may be able to see the world more broadly and better appreciate its diversity.

 In general, volunteering with organizations that support the underprivileged may be a transforming experience that can open our eyes to new ways of seeing the world.