RC DEVELOPMENT • 書院發展 2023 UMAGAZINE 28 • 澳大新語 65 ‘For us, students, picking up discarded cardboard from the streets for recycling was a fresh experience. However, we’re aware that for those scavengers who depend on this task for a living, it’s far from a walk in the park... Recycling cardboard is hard work. Yet, the financial gain is depressingly low, and a truckload of cardboard only pulls in around MOP 50.’ These are the reflections of students at the University of Macau (UM) Stanley Ho East Asia College (SHEAC) on their participation in a cardboard recycling activity. The activity was part of a series organised by the college in 2023, which aimed to let students understand the plight of the underprivileged. By collecting and recycling cardboard on the streets, the students experienced first-hand the laborious work undertaken by waste pickers and the obstacles they encounter. Mobilising Students for Social Services SHEAC has spared no effort in promoting diverse and sustainable social services. We believe that one of the key values of the college lies in its capacity to foster community connections and encourage students to serve the community. Service learning offers students the opportunity to engage in various social services, which, in turn, helps them discover their interests and strengths and identify areas they wish to explore further. Following their involvement in the ‘Soup for Love’ campaign launched by the college in 2022 to support local elderly citizens living alone, several students assisted in coordinating the campaign this year. Social services often bring students into contact with minority groups that they seldom interact with in their daily lives. This year, we led our students to join the Eid al-Fitr (a global Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan) celebrations organised by Indonesian domestic helpers in Macao. During the event, the students gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and joys experienced by domestic workers living in Macao. For example, they learned that those who have work experience in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao generally prefer to work in Macao as local regulations do not require them to live with their employers, which they greatly appreciate. Many also find employers in Macao are generally friendlier and more approachable. Had they not participated in such activities, students may only be aware of the challenges these domestic helpers face in Macao, such as dealing with demanding employers and the difficulty finding food products made in their homelands. By listening to the views of ethnic minorities 學生參加「社區引導人」導賞員培訓計劃 Students participate in SHEAC’s community docent training programme
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