I went to the gym regularly from December to February (3-4 times a week), showing perseverance. However in mid-February I really lost the consistency I had developed because of the workload we have been facing thanks to mock exams in January and a whole host of assessments. I look forward to going back to the gym regularly when I can find the time to fit it into my schedule, it's been hard finding time to go more than once or twice a week.
In terms of service I'm still involved in cleft palate, we recently visited the hospital again and spoke to the doctor. He wants us to develop mediums of awareness (pamphlets, powerpoints, movies) that he can use to raise funds. Our engagement in this as a group will be a new task that we undertake while working collaboratively as a group, holistically attempting to connect our different forms of awareness. Ethically speaking, I really question our hospital visits as it seems morally questionable to barge into the wards in groups and take photographs of recovering infants as their mother's watch. The mother's go through an ordeal in terms of finances and making the trip out to Colombo and the last thing they need is a group of school kids to show them insensitivity.
Our coordinator has constantly brought up the future of the service project because in his mind it lacks an 'action' component. In Habitat for Humanity they go and build homes, in Sunflower Village they swim with the kids and in SOS Orphanage they also interact with the kids. Because Cleft Lip and Palate (CLP) lacks this 'action' component, there has even been rumblings that we may be discontinued in the future. I personally feel that the cleft lip cause is one that needs to receive constant support from the school. It's a worthy cause and the people in the project work hard raising money and interacting with the doctors, making sure our money goes somewhere. Also, it is quite unfair to question our 'action' when groups like DAWG solely fundraise. Sure they also collect medicine and food and their funds go towards a sterilization and vaccination campaign, however it's not like the members of the group are exactly participating in the surgeries themselves. The money we raise goes towards an annual event where doctors from the UK and elsewhere fly in to Sri Lanka and donate their time to surgically repairing these kids' defects. Our money does not pay for the doctors but rather the nurses and supplies. Whereas a normal surgery can cost around 100,000 rupees, during this event one surgery is only 15,000 rupees. CLP would gladly volunteer our time to show up at this event however they don't need us there because we aren't nurses and trained staff. However they still need our money and that is why we need to continue as a service project!
