In our meeting this week, our group discussed the importance of establishing our connections and resources for the plastics project, since these groups will not only guide the vision and exact goals for the project, but also assist in getting a feel for the scope of the environmental, social, and economic conditions existing in Manilla. As we discussed, there is still some clarification that needs to take place in terms of defining exactly the roles of these stakeholders, or our relations to them, but as we advance in the project we will be working towards answering such questions. The first major stakeholder for our project is the women’s co-op we are partnering with. They will be our main source of information on how the co-op currently operates and what needs they are fulfilling, as well as what they are looking for from us.

The second major stakeholder for our project is the University of the Philippines, located in Manilla. We plan to get in contact with students and faculty there to help learn about the entire ecosystem of Manila, as well as what sorts of research or advancements they are currently working on there. Secondly, we can ask them their thoughts on the direction we should be focusing our efforts, and ensure that our work will align with the needs and goals of socioeconomic climate in Manila.

The third major stakeholder for the plastics project is Lehigh University. Lehigh is sponsoring the research and travels taking place both on our campus and in the Philippines. Lehigh’s staff have established the parameters for these research projects and serve to assist in the technicalities of our everyday work.

The fourth major stakeholder would be the corporations and foundations that sponsor the co-op in Manila. From my original research, I pulled the name Children’s International, which is a foundation sponsoring Paradise Village, where they have already established assistance through a community center and healthcare programs. Another one is called GABRIELLA, who is the National Alliance of Women’s Organizations in the Philippines.

The last group of other stakeholders for the project is local Churches as well as the Bishop’s Council in the Philippines. Specifically, the Bishop’s Council will be our strongest support for social support with our work. Having them assist in any way will add tremendously to the validity and support of the project.

To validate the plastics project, I plan to emphasize the fact that this project is extremely multi-dimensional. The plastics recycling project perfectly aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) currently in place, directly tackling key issues of gender equality, poverty, and innovation and infrastructure. The purpose and goals of this project, once formally laid out, will clearly establish the wide range of “problem” areas being targeted, and the fact that investing energy and money into the plastics recycling group does far more for society than just get rid of bottles lying around. There are exponentially large returns which will come from sponsoring the women’s co-op, giving women direct access to entrepreneurial leverage that provides not only a source of income, but an independence which unfortunately could not have been achieved on their own. Giving our project a socially impacting goal, in addition to the environmental aim, boosts the personal appeal, allowing outsiders to see the lives being touched through our work.

Another way to enhance the credibility of my work is to collect research from direct sources. There is a power that comes from face-to-face or over the phone interactions that simply cannot be met reading an article online. A goal of mine is to reach out to as many direct sources as possible, and hear from their perspective the topics of research we will be looking into. More specifically, this will include reaching out to the Children’s Institute, who sponsor the co-op and run many of the community center events and activities. Further, this will assist me in paying attention to perceptions, which is another powerful tool I plan to utilize that will greatly enhance the credibility of my work. When getting information and ideas directly from individuals involved in various aspects of the project, whether that be a representative from the women’s co-op or a student from the University of Manilla, I will be better fit to see our project from many different perspectives, and understand the true needs that should be met and what role they hope for us to fulfill.

A third way to further validate my project this semester will be to admit when I cannot find something or do not know an answer. As Chris talked about with answering Q&A from presenting, there is no worse mistake than to pretend to know something when you do not. Not only is it morally wrong to lie, but this further takes away from the credibility of the work you have done correctly. There will definitely be roadblocks and dead ends with my project, but it is in my best interests to ask others for assistance when needed or admit that there may be some questions we are simply unable to find answers to. Acknowledging this fact and finding ways to work around mistakes or unanswered questions allows the project to find an alternative path that can lead to further innovation and discovery, rathering than wasting time and energy on an obsolete one.