LINGGESHWAR A/L NADARAJAN (S2120870)

For this Social Engagement project reflection, we can divide it into 3 phases which are planning phase, execution phase and post project execution phase. 

Planning and Preparation Phase

For the planning phase, I have attended a few online meetings of my group (Group 4) to discuss and brainstorm the project ideas. From the discussion, we have decided to carry out a program at a school regarding higher education and civil engineering. We have also come up with a back up plan which is volunteering to clean a public beach. From these discussions, I have developed my communication skills. I have not done too much communication with some of my group members even though we are batchmates, so this project had given me the opportunity to do so. I believe that I have also developed my report writing skills by being involved in the proposal writing for our project. Furthermore, we have presented 2 project proposals to Dr. Tan Chee Guan. I have also developed my presentation skill through this proposal presentation. After Dr. Tan gave us the green light, we contacted several listed schools and discussed with them regarding our project. Unfortunately, we could not get an agreement with them due to the hot weather. Therefore, we resorted to our backup plan which is volunteering cleaning the beach titled Wave of Change project. I have understood the importance of having a backup plan always. Then, we conducted a few more meetings to plan for our beach cleaning project. Much research was done for the preparations for the project such as cost, venue, transportation, equipment, people in charge and much more. Thus, my research skills have also been developed here. The venue was Pantai Bagan Lalang, Sepang which is about 57 km from University of Malaya. The whole project preparation phase was a beneficial experience as I was able to communicate with my batchmates, develop interpersonal skills and it also provided me with an overview of the preparation and planning process for a project. This will help me immensely later in my working life as an engineer since detailed planning is required for every project. 

Project Execution Phase

During the execution phase, we left University of Malaya sharply at 8am and reached Pantai Bagan Lalang around 9:15 am. We travelled using 3 cars, I drove one of them. Then, we followed the tentative plan by carrying out the cleaning and interviewing activities. During the cleaning activities, all the group members including me worked together and helped one another to clean the beach. It was a joyful moment to work together for the greater good for the environment. Thus, I developed my team working skills through the cleaning activities. Moreover, we also conducted interviews with the fellow visitors of the beach. Through these interviews, I was able to understand and obtain their insight and viewpoints regarding the cleanliness of the beach. This enabled me to have direct conversations and connect with people whom I am meeting for the first time. I also understood the importance of keeping our beaches clean, hygienic and safe. Examples of objects and materials that we picked up were plastics, polystyrene boxes and even sharp glasses. This is dangerous as there are many people on the beach doing various activities and these objects may cause harm to them, especially children. Even though the process was tiring, I believed that I had enjoyed it very much since it was my first experience going out and doing an activity with many of my fellow batchmates. Thankfully, the weather was not too hot when we were there. After completing the cleaning and interviewing activities, we separated the collected rubbish according to plastic waste, paper waste and glass waste. This will make recycling easier since the segregation process is done early on. Recycling is an important addition to our project. It reduces waste sent to landfills and incinerators which prevent pollution and  recycling also conserves natural resources. Besides that, we have carried out a DIY project which is creating a simple water filter model using the waste items collected at the beach. Then, we had lunch together before leaving for the University of Malaya around 3pm. The moment of having lunch together was memorable and fun. Throughout the journey back and forth at the University of Malaya, I had good and meaningful conversations with my batchmates while driving and I was getting to know some of them better. This encouraged to tighten the friendship bond among us. I have improved my responsibility skills by following the tentative accordingly with full discipline. This was to ensure the whole beach cleaning activity will be smooth and efficient. To conclude the execution phase, I have gained new experiences and skills such as team work, leadership and responsibility. These qualities will aid me immensely in future, especially during my working life. In addition, I am proud that I was able to contribute to society by spreading positivity and keeping the environment of the beach clean and safe for the public. 

Figure 1: Group Photo on day of project execution

Figure 2: Water Filter Project (DIY Project)

Post Project Execution Phase

During the post execution phase, we are required to carry out a final presentation, report and blog. Our group leader, Firdaus, has divided the tasks according to each member. I have to mention that Firdaus was very responsible as a leader throughout the 3 phases of this project. In addition, I felt that the friendship bond between all the groupmates have tightened, we have become more united and communication has become more efficient and easier among us. Through this project, I believe that I have improved my time management skills since I had to manage my time to complete the tasks before the specified deadline. This project had many impacts on me which had improved some of my personal qualities and values. For example, through conversations and interactions with my group mates and visitors of the beach, I have improved my communication skills. Teamwork, discipline, time management, research and report writing are some other qualities which I believe I have developed throughout this project. In conclusion, this project was a memorable and meaningful experience for me. This is because I have gained valuable knowledge and experiences from the preparation and execution of this project. Therefore, this will provide me with the essential assistance for my future, especially in my working life as a civil engineer.