Reflection On Self-Realization

Learning involves acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge which may lead to a potential change in depth of knowledge. A self-realization is development of one’s potential. Without it, people would not be able to fulfil their potential. Because we are exposed to diverse experiences as we grow up, this result in a great deal of learning leading up to self-realisation. In this essay, I will be taking a journey to developing my own self-realization by reflecting on my learning in the Social Infrastructures course.

At the beginning of the course, I was certain that community could be defined as “a group of people living in the same territory”. This can be attested by the fact that I referred to different wards in my township

In each of the blocks or ward, a representative is self-elected. As a result, this person ends up being the one that government officials communicates with under the deception that this person represents everyone in the community which is not true”, This experience was the basis of my understanding of community engagements at the beginning; I considered it to be a community representative engaging with the government officials on behalf of the community members. To me this was a norm, I remember a time in my life when I aspired to be a community leader, believing that I would be a better representative than the current and past leaders. I thought I would do this by just getting a degree and applying the top down method I learnt in school. Following the panel discussion, Comrade Terror shifted my views with regards to community engagements and also after reading through the case study of water board in La Gracia (see, Link et al, 2011), I learnt that “Engagement with the community through a representative is not efficient”, instead all community members needs to be consulted. At that point I was able to link that to the situation in my township, I shared this with my discussion group in that session, it made me realise why projects are never completed. While I was aware that there is a little development in terms of social infrastructures in my township, I had no idea that lack of proper community engagements was a key factor. By reading the successful stories of community engagements in Monwabisi Park (see,Coetzer, 2013) and the township of Bonteheuwel (see, Arendse, Patel, 2014), I learnt that successful community engagements should include the whole community. This realization made me shift my aspiration of being a community