Date: 24 April 2022

Sustainable Development Goal: Reduced Inequalities

The Refugee Outreach Committee, as the name suggests, was a club initiated for the welfare and betterment of refugees, and we tried to give back to the community by donating as much as we can. The ROC also did a lot of sales throughout the year, and one of them was during the inter-school games. For this sale, the ROC needed help with setting up tables for the sale and selling things. During this CAS experience, I demonstrated the following Learning Outcomes:

Learning Outcome 6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

Talking about the sustainable development goal, by being a part of this sale, whose proceeds were all going to help refugees, I better understood the goal of reduced inequality and how we could achieve this goal. Due to the Russia-Ukraine War, and the ongoing Syrian civil war, a lot of refugees came to Turkey, especially Istanbul. However, they didn’t have sufficient resources to start a new life here. Therefore, a club was created in our school to help refugees. The Refugee Outreach Committee is always doing sales and donation drives, and one of them was this sale during the games. Throughout the year, I wasn’t able to join this group because I wasn’t free during their meeting times, but I always wanted to do something for the refugees, so I saw this sale as my chance to give something back to the community.

Learning Outcome 7: Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

The most prominent ethical issue rising in this activity was the attitude of people toward refugees. Many people said they wanted to help, but when asked to donate money books, or clothes, they were hesitant. This made me feel melancholic. However, there were still a few people who would contribute to the ROC willingly. Before, I felt like if given an opportunity, everyone would help the refugees in any way that they could. But, as it turns out to be, not all people are alike.

Firstly, in this experience, I tried to develop as a communicator. During this experience, I was able to express myself confidently and creatively. I worked well with others and listened carefully to their points of view throughout the experience. Secondly, I strived to be caring. Throughout this experience, I attempted to demonstrate empathy, compassion, and respect. I was dedicated to serving others and trying to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the world around us. Thirdly, I tried to be more principled. In this experience, I acted with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. Additionally, I took responsibility for our actions and their consequences. This activity benefitted the refugees living in Istanbul. The highlight of this experience for me was seeing the smiles on the refugees’ faces after they received the donation boxes.