Cultivating Progress: Reflections from Bandage & Beyond

My name is Raj Saini, and I am the founder and one of the directors of Bandage & Beyond. Today, I am providing an update from our kit piloting phase, focusing not only on outcomes but also on the ways in which our understanding of “progress” has evolved during this journey.

As a student-run nonprofit, we have faced the challenges of developing a meaningful initiative while balancing academic, professional, and personal responsibilities. At times, maintaining momentum has been difficult. However, a consistent lesson has emerged: sustainable progress is not achieved through individual effort alone. Instead, it results from mutual support, shared responsibility, and ongoing collaboration, especially during periods of heightened demand.

This approach guides our initiative by emphasizing listening, learning, and incremental improvement.

Listening and Learning

In November, we conducted a series of feedback sessions to enhance our wound-care educational materials, engaging with three primary groups:

1. Medical professionals reviewed our content to ensure accuracy and relevance.

2. Community organizations, including local nonprofits and service groups, advised us on effective formats and venues for disseminating information.

3. Community members, our intended audience, assessed our materials for clarity, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility.

Through this iterative feedback process, we ensured our approach addressed community needs. These insights informed the refinement of our materials and facilitated the piloting of the kit.

Piloting Our Kit

After refining our materials, we collaborated with local community organizations to pilot the kits, including the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light Centre and the Mission Possible street outreach program.

At Harbour Light, our team distributed kits directly to visitors, explained the contents, and collected feedback regarding helpful elements and areas for improvement. These discussions proved invaluable. Some participants recommended including larger gauze pads for severe wounds, while others requested clearer instructions. We also identified optimal distribution methods, such as community hubs.

At Mission Possible, we adopted a different strategy by conducting 30-minute training sessions for staff and volunteers. These sessions covered the kit’s purpose, the function of each item, and effective instructional techniques. As a result, Mission Possible’s team was better equipped to distribute kits during outreach.

This pilot feedback identified areas for improvement. We simplified instructions, increased font size, and incorporated high-absorbency gauze pads. Logistical lessons included inventory management, efficient packing, and aligning distribution with outreach schedules.

Although we cannot assist everyone, if our efforts help even one person feel less helpless, our progress is significant. Through our engagement with different community stakeholders, we ensured we are reaching the community at all, where possible, by critically appraising our current efforts, materials, and approaches.

The Nature of Progress

Reflecting on this journey, I recognized that progress is not always tangible or immediate. Our primary path forward, both individually and as a team, has required consistent effort and adaptation to change, even when results are not immediately apparent.

Some days present significant challenges: meetings are canceled, feedback requires revisions, or bureaucratic obstacles emerge. On other days, collaboration is productive and optimism grows. At times, exhausted, I anxiously hesitated to check my email, yet this apprehension occasionally resulted in greater clarity. The ongoing cycle of progress and setbacks can be exhausting. It often seems that each step forward is followed by two steps back as we adapt and revise. However, this iterative process may represent progress itself rather than failure. Genuine growth is often gradual and subtle, much like a gardener’s efforts, and is not always immediately visible.

There’s a Confucian parable in Mencius. An impatient farmer thought his seedlings were growing too slowly, so he pulled them up to make them grow faster. He went home tired, believing he had helped. But the plants had withered and died. Mencius told this tale to show the folly of forcing progress. Pulling the seedlings, he warned, may feel productive but can kill what you nurture. Throughout our project, I frequently felt compelled to accelerate progress, in other words, to pull the very seedlings of my growing initiative. I incorporated feedback and attempted to implement changes immediately, which was rash and resulted in ill advised decisions. I recognize impatience as a personal challenge. However, both the parable and our experiences demonstrated the importance of preparation and patience. Practicing wu wei, the Taoist principle of effortless action, offers valuable insight. Just as water nourishes a seed, forced growth can be counterproductive. Forced growth can backfire.

During periods of internal conflict and despair, the true value of community and teamwork becomes evident. Team members provide accountability, assist in rationalizing ideas and decisions, and help interpret challenges and obstacles. This process resembles gardeners nurturing a plant by offering support, patience, and optimal conditions, rather than attempting to force its growth. Meaningful progress is inherently collaborative and is achieved through openness and inclusivity. In this context, meaningful progress builds upon the contributions of others. As Newton stated, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Each advancement reflects the collective efforts of medical volunteers, organizers, and outreach workers. Our team exemplifies compassion, dedication, and expertise, and each kit distributed signifies their shared commitment.

Let this serve as a reminder: progress is not always linear. There is value in relinquishing the pursuit of immediate results and trusting the process. Together with our team and community, we advance, supported by all who have contributed. With this foundation, we can envision and achieve further progress.