During my time studying and participating in extracurricular activities, I had the opportunity to experience many different projects. But one of the projects that left me with the most memorable impressions and experiences was when I took on the leadership role for a social project called Community Service Leadership. This is not only a project with community meaning, but also a journey that helped me grow up.

Community Service Leadership Project

The Community Service Leadership project was built with the goal of raising a minimum of 1,200,000 VND to adopt a pangolin within one year through the Save Vietnam’s Wildlife organization. The biggest motivation of the project comes from the idea of ​​​​wild animal conservation, spreading love for nature and calling on the community to join hands. To do this, my team and I chose to organize a crochet workshop – where everyone can learn basic crochet together, experience creativity and at the same time contribute directly to the fund through purchasing tickets. In addition, handmade crochet products such as key chains, small bags or stuffed animals are also sold to raise additional funds.

I understand that I need to come up with a specific, clear and feasible plan to ensure the project achieves its goals. The first step is to determine the focus – the crochet workshop will be the main highlight to make a difference compared to normal fundraising activities. After that, my team and I set a financial goal of 1.2 million VND, a reasonable number but also challenging enough to motivate everyone. Next is the communication stage, we design posters, write introductory articles and take advantage of social networks to spread the message “Crochet for pangolins”, emphasizing that this is not just a handmade workshop, but also an opportunity to do something meaningful for the environment together.

Deployment responsibilities

I also clearly assigned tasks to the members: the person in charge of communications, the person preparing the materials, the person in charge of logistics, and the person directly instructing the workshop. To increase the attractiveness, we also came up with additional ideas such as selling available crochet products and creating incentives for groups of friends or for those who registered early.

Difficulties Arrived

Although the plan was carefully prepared, we still encountered many difficulties during the implementation process. The first challenge was that the number of participants was quite small at first, because the workshop was new, many people were not interested or did not understand the meaning of the activity. Some people were still hesitant to spend money to participate, because they did not see the real value beyond learning crochet. In addition, limited resources in terms of materials, location, and tools also made us struggle to find solutions. Sometimes I feel pressured, because the project is not just a fun activity, but also involves the responsibility of raising funds for a clear social goal.

Self-adjustment

My team and I have found ways to adjust. We promote communication more, not only emphasizing the fun of crocheting, but also focusing on telling the story of the pangolin – a gentle animal that is threatened with extinction due to hunting. That is also the purpose of the event we organized.

When looking at the results, the minimum fundraising amount of 1.2 million VND may not be large compared to many other projects, but for us, it is the result of consensus and effort. More importantly, we have succeeded in adopting a pangolin, contributing to spreading the message of protecting wildlife. Personally, after going through this journey, I feel that I have matured a lot.

I learned how to listen and divide work reasonably, understanding that teamwork is only truly effective when every member feels like they are an important part of the project. I also realized that a leader is not just someone who gives instructions, but also someone who encourages the spirit, unites members and leads by example. In addition, I also practiced problem-solving skills, knowing how to flexibly change plans to adapt to situations. The Community Service Leadership project is therefore not simply a fundraising activity, but a profound experience, helping me to mature both in skills and awareness.