Venecia Tjhai
According to the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan), rates of sexual harassment during the pandemic, particularly online, have more than doubled than before it. From January to October 2020 alone, 659 cases of online sexual harassment were reported, more than double of 2019’s total of 281 cases. In short, throughout the pandemic, there has been an increase in the rate of sexual abuse and harassment. The issue is a concern in Indonesia since not many people support their recovery due to traditional misconceptions, negligence, some conservative factions, among others.
Our project, Cookies for Hope, is done by selling goods, in particular, various sets of assorted snacks and cookies to raise funds that will be donated to a local charity, Yayasan Pulih, to victims of sexual harassment. It is our way to support the campaign. Our intended target audiences are the general public. For the Spring greeting, we just want to make something new and special so people can feel warm inside like the spring season. Ramadhan is also done so that our customers can send and share with their friends and families some sweet cookies for one another during the season, especially during this pandemic when they can’t meet each other. These actions are done by promoting it to both inside and outside of the Sekolah Victory Plus community. Our goal was to initially sell at least 50 packs for each season, and we ended up selling more. This means that we also get to donate more with help from our communities. We also hope that we can bring positive influence to our communities by respecting and being there for each other when help is needed.
Reflection Experience of Venecia Tjhai
Reflection 1: 1st Investigation
Date/Time: 17 February 2021
Venue: Stay at Home/Gmeet
Team members present: (We haven't take attendance yet in this meeting)
CAS Stage: Investigation
LOs achieved:
- 6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance
- 7: Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions
Description
1. How do you achieve this experience learning outcomes in this stage today?
- By the first meeting, we actually discussed our plans on what to do for this CAS Project. We try to consider the ongoing issues surrounding us and we try to think of what we can do to aid those issues. Of course, we try to take the current pandemic into consideration and need to decide on not only what but also how we are going to do it, especially if we mostly do this project from home. We also have to consider if our action is appropriate for all ages and for the public eye especially since Indonesia is still a conservative country.
2. What was important or influential in this experience today?
- The most influential and important during the meeting was the creative ideas and the inquiry my teammates have. They were able to think things through from different points of view as well which makes the discussion flow very effective and open-minded. I also like how the members actually suggest ideas that are not only helpful for society but also something fun and creative for us to do as well.
3. What is the memorable moment in this experience? What went well or was difficult today?
- The most memorable was when Hizkia actually suggests we go catfish farming just because we were saying that we wanted to eat nasi uduk. It was pretty much a good idea to consider as we actually can help and learn how to grow catfish properly for people to consume. We can also try to help sell those catfish to help the workers gain more because we know that since the pandemic, it has been financially tight especially for the working-class people. However, considering the ongoing pandemic as well, we think that the idea is not quite achievable.
Expressing Feeling
1. How do you feel when you are doing your experience today? Where do you think this emotional response comes from?
- I was personally surprised and happy that everyone was able to be more open-minded about all the discussions we have especially when we talk about sensitive topics like finances and sexual harassment. I think I feel emotionally happy because, in my perspective, everyone gets along well and listens to each other's ideas well. They were also able to suggest more ideas or give opinions on the pros and cons of our actions.
Generating idea and asking question
1. What does this experience mean to you?
- This experience means a lot to me as I think that this is my time and opportunity to contribute to the country's services and for me to improve my social and management skills. This is because here, I am challenging myself to lead 23 other students to participate in the project effectively. I am very sure it is not an easy task and I would definitely get busy in the future. In addition, since this is online, it is harder for me to actually manage the project or communicate directly with the members. But I would need to challenge myself to new things and learn from as much as possible from this project and from each meeting to see how I can improve myself to be a better leader throughout this project.
2. How do you think your experience today contributes to the development of your IB Learner Profile attributes?
- I think I was able to be a caring and inquirer person in this meeting. This is because I have been able to be more curious about the ongoing issues in the society surrounding us and in Indonesia and decide which one we should aid for. And in the meeting, we also care for others, ourselves, and our family by considering the current pandemic to keep us safe and healthy and to consider those who are having a hard time facing the current pandemic.
Supporting Evidences : (Photos or videos)