Each year the Student Volunteer Center hosts a Service Recognition Ceremony to honor UCSC affiliates for their exceptional volunteer work in our community. This year College Nine’s Global Leadership And Development (GLAD) and College Ten’s Explore New Growth And Gain Experience (ENGAGE) were nominated and received the Student Organization Service Awards at the ceremony on Tuesday, May 22nd.

GLAD was awarded for their project which provided clean water to a maternity ward in Afghanistan. The GLAD team of 15 College Nine students met weekly to organize an event to create Water Pasteurization Indicators (WaPIs). These reusable devices indicate when water has reached a high enough temperature that bacteria carrying water-borne diseases have been eliminated. A single WaPI is reusable and lasts up to 25 years. With the help of the Rotary Club of Fresno, the students were able to assemble and send over 200 WaPIs.

“It was really rewarding to see 200 WAPIs assembled and ready to be mailed. It meant a lot to me because I think that service often goes farther than charity,” said group leader, Abir Rashid.

Members of GLAD learned how to organize events, use tools, raise money, and empowered themselves to make a difference. Members also gained organizational, communication, and leadership skills. Assembly required a lot of preparation such as training volunteers, cutting tubes and wires, and testing the tubes to ensure they were waterproof. Members also made strong connections with organizations outside UCSC.

Rashid admits “we learn a lot about International and Global Perspectives in our Core Course, but it felt good to put it into practice.”