Doing What's Best

During the orientation, we were told that most of the needs of the foundation are related to the supplies that they use in forming the development of the children. Our group decided to come up with a story book that the teachers could use in their lessons. The story book will contain biblical stories with morals at the ending.

In relation to my previous entry, the group realized that any story book will do. It will help the teachers in their lesson and at the same time, the children will surely learn something from it. But then again, is it good enough? The answer is no – which is why we decided to come up with a story book containing biblical stories. This way, the children will be developed morally and spiritually. This is what’s best for them and this is what we’re going to do. 

Good is Not Good Enough

After determining the needs of the community, we found it easier to come up with a proposal for our project. Before the visit, we were completely clueless on what to make as a project. I realized that is because we also have no idea what exactly they need. It would be easy to come up with different good projects but the question stays: is that really what they need?

If there’s one thing I learned as a Marketing student, that is, to consider the need of the consumers all the time. In this case, the consumer is the foundation and we are the company. Determine the needs of your consumers and their needs will determine your product. But then again, I realized that it is not enough that you just settle to what your consumers need. It is also essential that you determine what is best for your consumers. Yes, your product may be good for the consumers already, but always think, is there something better for your consumers? If the answer is yes, then you will have to strive for that product. And if the answer is no, then you can be confident that you are providing the best for your consumers.

Bottom line is it is not just important to comply with the needs of your consumers. It is much more important to comply with the needs of your consumers in a way that is best for them. 

Where It Gets Personal

Last February 7, we went to visit our community in order to determine what they need. Our visit at the community was just quick. We were oriented on the history and the nature of the foundation. We were told what their advocacy is and how they are implementing it. After which, we were asked to plan what our project will be for the community. They also suggested projects which they really need and most of the groups followed what they said they needed.

During the orientation, we were told that we won’t be able to interact with the kids that we are going to help. To be completely honest, I was saddened by this. I wanted, even just for a short time, to interact with the kids. Because for me, we will be able to come up with better proposals and will be able to execute it well once we have met the kids. This is because it becomes a little personal. They serve as a motivational factor for us to do better. If we have met the kids, we would know we’re going to help, what their situation is and how badly they need the help.

Nonetheless, I will not let this get in between of us complying with our obligation. It is our duty to help, it doesn’t have to matter whether we meet the kids or not. What matters is that we are able to do something for the better of the children. 

Of having time and making time

In our CSRGOVE class, we were instructed that we are supposed to go as a group for our service learning. One thing I noticed while the group was deciding what day to go was that someone's schedule was always conflicting with every proposed schedule. At first I thought that I wouldn't be able to come to our first visit to the community. Fortunately, everything went out well with my schedule and I was able to go together with my group.

From this experience, I have realized the importance of time. Although cliche, time really is gold. Without time, no plans will be executed. For instance, if we didn't have time to go to the community, it will not be possible for us to come up with a service learning proposal since we do not know what they need in the first place. Thus, we won't be able to help the community. And this brings me to my next point...

Sometimes, it is not about having time but making time. Just like with CSR, in the normal business setting, engaging in social responsibility takes up extra time and effort. Let's face it, doing activities and programs that concerns the social welfare will require an extra effort from the company. If the company's concerns take up a lot of time already, what more if you add up the concerns of let's say one community. Hence, engaging in CSR activities require just the right amount of motivation and determination. Without these two, a company may drown from all of the work and may end up with an excuse of having 'no time'. If you do not do something about it, you will always end up having no time. Because truth is, time is very consumable whether it was or was not spent. It is probably the only thing that whether you do something or not with it, it eventually just slips away.

Bottom line is, time is probably the most essential factors in engaging in activities such as this. It is not considered as a priority but it has to be treated like one in order to be successful with it. 

Common Mistake

In one of our sessions in CSRGOVE, we were given a chance to choose which organization we would like to partner with for our service learning. We were given a chance to choose between PK (Produktong Katutubo) and MMP. For some reason, the nature of PK appeared to be more interesting for almost everyone in the class which is why almost if not all of us chose to partner with that organization. Since we cannot all partner with PK, the class definitely has to be divided. Again, we were given a chance by our professor to volunteer for MMP - yet no one did. It was until the idea of draw lots was suggested that my group of friends in that class decided to volunteer for MMP.

When I was thinking of a topic for my blog entry to kick-off this blog, I looked back to all the sessions that we had. Of all the sessions that we had yet, I realized that the particular session which I just shared encapsulates the behavior of probably most people in our generations towards CSR and the other things that come along with it.

I have realized that there was something wrong with how we behaved during that session - and probably how we behave most of the time when it comes to these things. I asked myself, why did no one among the class of around 40 willingly volunteer for MMP? This got me thinking of what really the end goal of the class is. Perhaps, it was not about helping.

Come to think of it, if the class really just wanted to help, it would not really matter to which organization we partner with. What would matter is what the class would be able to do for that organization. But then again, just like how people always are, we selfishly thought of ourselves first before others. We thought of which was most comfortable and convenient for us. Instead of prioritizing the organization that would benefit, we prioritized ourselves first. I know for a fact that this should not be the case. It should be the other way around. You do not help just for the sake of helping. You help because you feel the need to do so and because you know you want to.

This could be related to how people are towards CSR as a whole. I believe that in order to fully inculcate CSR in our ways, we should have set our mind and heart towards it in the first place. It can't be just something that you are tasked to by others, it should be something that you have tasked yourself.

By the end of this course, I wish to look back to this entry and I wish that I would be able to say to myself that I will no longer commit the same mistake again - of putting myself first before those who I am going to help. I admit that there are errors in our ways, but I also know for a fact that there is still room for us to change this and CSRGOVE might have just opened the door for that room.