Journal Entry – Progress through 7 learning outcomes

Please complete a journal entry about the progress of your project from 2 weeks ago using the 7 learning outcomes

During the past 2 weeks Geyra and I have been active in relation to our project. We have fundraised money from dress down days and received donations from the community. With that help we have given Daisy and her family food baskets, clothes and some personal items for the girls. This has given us the time and opportunity to reflect on what we could do for them if our long term goal of them purchasing the land becomes an obstacle. 

Our purpose as a CAS project is to help low income families with basic necessities that we can afford to give. I feel like getting them a land requires time, money and dedication. For usas IB students, time is very important since we are close to graduation, therefore our time is very limited. However we have done something for them, we have fundraised money to buy them food, we involved the community in donating food, clothes or money to keep buying food for them. We have gotten them uniforms for school and plastic boxes so they can store personal items that fight the risk of getting wet because of the rain. I feel like with the little amount of time we have in school it seems pretty hard to try out something really big. This project could be passed to an 11th grade student whose biggest goal is to help Daisy get a land. 

Currently, because of Nicaragua government issues 5 members of her family have migrated to Costa Rica and are living in her little home. This makes a total of 10 members in such a small place. While we brainstormed the implications of living in such a small place with such limited space this drove us to understand the critical issues of how poverty could become more difficult. This led me and Geyra to think about how we can help out this big family. 

We think this has gotten out of our control. The very fact that time has become an obstacle and 5 more members makes it very difficult to help everyone. Our job is not to maintain them but to help them with certain things that may be complicated to get. This requires that as there are more members they should look for jobs to be able to support themselves. We will provide the basic food baskets but getting out of poverty also requires some independence. However, while they are looking for a job, the long-term goal remains. We are trying to rally the community to donate to the cause. In order to make this dream more of a reality. 

Despite all the chaos Geyra and I have planned (this is still an idea) to sell paninis at the Feria to get a little more of income to buy more things for Daisy. This will require to speak to Gracie because she is in charge of the feria on Wednesdays after school. Additionally on Saturday October 22, Geyra and I will be making dinner for the entire family and Daisy’s neighbors. We will deliver it and spend some time with them in order to understand their current situation and as well create a more unique relationship. We are also planning again to host the wine tasting and target wealthy people from Las Catalinas who would like to donate money for our project. This will allow us to achieve our goal quicker. However this is a decision that’s still being planned. 

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Does your experience make you expect more from people or less?

My overall experience during our CAS project has shown me a lot from people who are wealthy and those who aren’t. This experience has taught me to develop strengths such as patience, empathy and understanding. Despite the challenges we have faced and Daisy herself, there is still hope and that’s what has kept us motivated. She has insightfully taught us through her experiences that not everyone has a given heart. Just because no one really supported her when she left her home searching for a better life for herself and her children. Not everyone is willing to do something for those who are in need. But for those who do, my appreciation and admiration goes to them beyond my actions. All my life I’ve cared for others, looked out for others even if I would be going through such a hard time. 

My personal experience from poverty to a stable economic environment has been one of the difficult processes I’ve been through, however I’m not ashamed of it. This taught me so much about people, I expected a lot from those who I used to call “friends’ ‘ and expected less from those I didn’t have a relationship with at all. I could never be more grateful for them, to my parents’ kind friends who did exactly the same thing Geyra and I are doing for Daisy. I guess that’s why I’m so committed. I guess that’s why our relationship with Daisy has grown so much. To put yourself in someone else’s shoes after going through the same experience makes me understand all the perspectives. Even from the little girls. I was little when we broke into poverty, we were rapidly falling apart economically that’s why I put myself into the girls shoes. Of wanting so many things but can’t be able to afford them. This is why this project is so important to me. 

Additionally, to make this dream a reality we will try our best to be able to achieve our goal and really let others know that they can be part of the change. The change that will make a family be forever grateful. The change that will bring happiness and not sadness by knowing they have their own safe home, their own bed. A place to finally live free of suffering. Free of poverty. 

I personally commit to bring awareness not only for Daisy’s family, but to be the voice for those who can’t speak for themselves. To be the voice for those who are suffering and to spread kindness to those who are broken. I commit to keep fighting, to keep inspiring and to keep believing in those who are willing to help those who are in such big need. Ethically you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, but there are others who are screaming for help but no one hears them. I’m willing to speak for those who need to be heard.