Education Donation

 

Korean middle and high school students are participating in various meaningful volunteer activities. One of the volunteer activities that students perform is 'education donation', an act which senior students teach basic academic works to children in need. While volunteering students have a chance to gain more knowledge, they also spend their efforts for children living in poor environments. For those children who do not even have the chance to get education, this meaningful activity has bestowed a light of hope for them. This activity is held in numerous organizations, youth centers and even in churches throughout the nation.

Some places to seach for Education Donation:

 

Korea Nanum Volunteer Service Inc.(대한나눔복지회)

Photo Credit: http://cafe.naver.com/knws/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Korea Nanum Volunteer Service Inc.(대한나눔복지회) manages a group called the Korea Nanum Youth Volunteer Service (대한나눔청소년봉사대) which is a noncommercial organization consisted of many teenage volunteers to give social service to the elders. Among its meaningful activities, the Korea Nanum Youth Volunteer Service (대한나눔청소년봉사대) cooperates with other youth organizations to help their volunteers participate in education donation. Teenage volunteering takes place every saturday and during holidays as an ordinary program.

For more information, please visit http://cafe.naver.com/knws/

 

Good Neighbors (굿네이버스)

Photo Credit: http://blog.naver.com/dmsruddnwn?Redirect=Log&logNo=40175867997

Good Neighbors is a non-governmental organization established in 1991 to protect the lives and human rights of poor world citizens and has cared for health and peace along with the United Nations. Good Neighbors also organizes volunteer activities to put 'share' 'volunteer' 'social contribution' into action. Good Neighbors has made an agreement with the Western Incheon Office of Education Support (인천시서부교육지원청) to mature students for competence and talents. Good Neighbors has organized many winter education donation programs in elementary schools of Gangseo-gu/Yangcheon-gu. Many volunteers got involved to ensure the safe growth of young children and to encourage the development of their hidden abilities.

For more information, please visit http://www.goodneighbors.kr/main.asp

 

 

Local Children Facilities/ Youth Centers(지역별 아동복지관/청소년수련관)

Photo Credit: http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=003&aid=0002984537

Many different children facilities and youth centers have added education donation programs to open children to a wide variety of activities they can enjoy. Children facilities and youth centers of different regions have cooperated with different organizations to invite skilled senior students for simple and enjoyable lessons. For young children in Chlidren Facilities, the education donation program focuses on building a good basis for their start in studying and for the adolescents in Youth Centers, the lessons makes sure that the problems children face with their school work are solved.

For more information, please visit the web page of children facility or youth center nearest from your resident.

 

 

 

With great  luck, I had the opportunity to have a talk with an Apgujeong high school student Yoon Hee Sung (18), who has been participating in the education donation program in a church for two years.

 


 

Q> Looking back two years, what was it like starting this volunteer activity?

At first, I didn't really have much courage and I still feel shy and uneasy when I think about my first day at the church. Since I'm not that kind of an open person, I don't really speak much and I hate standing in front of other people I do not know. I really wondered if I could get along with this well.

 

Q> What did you learn while teaching children at the church?

As I got used to giving lessons to children and sharing conversations with them, I started to get really talkative and changed into a teacher who is very eager and passoinate about her learners. Sort of like a mentor. I really wanted to tell them stories about my days at school and some fun jokes, too. I learnt that studying is not about accepting the lessons being taught. What is impotrant is that the children enjoy the materials that they and I have gone through together.

 

Q> What did you like most about this program?

To be honest, I first decided to take part in this activity for filling up my volunteering time. But when it was time for me to finish and go back to the church to get the volunteer certificate, I didn't want to show it to my students and felt ashamed of myself. All the effort and time I had spent for this program seemed worthless. The true beauty of this program is that it helped me to develop my skills of interacting with other people and it was such a pleasure to help children with the best thing I can do.


 

 

The education donation program is very rewarding for both teachers and learners and it is more than a volunteer activity. This program hopes to mature successful individuals to become sound civilians for the future society.

 

The 8th Charity Flea Market-WeAJa

On the 14th of October, WeAJa Charity Flea Market was opened in 4 areas of the nation (Seoul, Busan, Dajeon and Jeonju) with the theme of 'Sharing makes the economy strong! The earth strong as well!'

WHAT IS 'The 8th Charity Flea Market-WeAJa'?

WeAJa is an event that is co-hosted by the JoongAng Media Network, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Busan Metropolitan City, the Dajeon Metropolitan City and the Jeollabuk-do Province. This event aims to sell donated goods and revert the sum to charity. Starting from 2005, it has raised 1 billion, 9 million and 290 thousand won for donation.(Statistics: JoongAng Daily) The WeAJa Charity Flea market is consisted of more than 33 social enterprise booths, auctions of public figure donation and JoongAng Media Network zones.

The Seoul Market was opened in Seoul World Cup Stadium North Plaza and the opening ceremony commenced the event at noon. Along with host representatives, there were many visitors to share the meaning of this event.

Flea Market

Throughout the whole North Plaza, there were numerous booths that sold products from different social enterprises. This was a great chance for promoting valuable products and introducing visitors to unique ideas. A large booth named 'Beautiful shop' sold coffee and other drinks made from fair-trade ingredients. The booth was organized by 'Beautiful Coffee', a Korean fair trade organization.

Other booths included unique dolls made from re-cycled materials. One social enterprise, 'Yonzdoll' explained that all of their products are made of materials that were collected from thrown away garments. Another enterprise named 'Touch for Good' filled their booth with neat bags made from used banners. Visitors learned the environmental contributions of these social enterprises.

Apart from social businesses, student voluntary groups participated in the flea market as well. Whimoon Boys High School's voluntary group, Doongwoori, opened a market of 100 handmade recycled notepads and 800 re-used goods. From 2010, this group has participated in the WeAJa Seoul Market and donated the profit to the Seoul Daecheong Welfare Center for the senior citizens who live alone. I had the chance to hear some words from the 2012 Doongwoori's leader, Kim Woo Jin.

Could you briefly explain what ‘Doongwoori’ is?

 

‘Doongwoori’ is a student voluntary group that aims to help the elders who live alone. Our group visits senior citizens every month to share talks or give a hand to anything that they need help in. Also, Doongwoori participates in various activities such as trip to the YangJae Citizen’s Forest, WeAJa Flea Market, Kimchi Making (Kimjang), etc.

 

Why did ‘Doongwoori’ participate in the WeAJa Charity Flea Market?

 

We participated with the aim to help old citizens keep warm during the harsh winter by giving financial aid for heating bills through the profit we make in WeAJa Charity Flea Market.

 

What materials does ‘Doongwoori’ sell in the WeAJa Charity Flea market?

 

We sell secondhand books, clothes, stationery and donations from public figures. To add, we sell re-cycled materials that had been collected through the whole year for the WeAJa Charity Flea Market.

 

What have you learnt by participating in the WeAJa Charity Flea Market?

 

Through my experience in the WeAJa Charity Flea Market, I learnt the correct attitude of volunteering and some economical concepts. By bargaining with visitors, I learnt the ways to satisfy both the interests of the buyer and the seller. Also, I found out that volunteer activities are not limited in active helping but it can also be accomplished through fundraising.

The WeAJa Charity Flea Market did not only offer its visitors with valuable goods but it also encouraged participants to take some action to help poor nieghbours and save the planet. With participants of different ages, all gathered together to celebrate the idea of 'sharing'.

 

Girl’s Dream

 

 

Alternatives to sanitary pads exercise

 

 

 

           Problems concerning sanitary pads have become a big issue in today’s society. With manufacturing companies trying to win the competition through the use of more chemical ingredients, the respect for safety and women’s bodies has drastically decreased.

 

Sanitary pads manufacturing companies try to satisfy their buyers by emphasizing on their products’ comfort and lightweight. However, this forces companies to use more chemical components, which cause skin diseases and serious menstrual pains. For this reason, national feminist groups like Korea Women Link(한국여성민우회) and Blood Sister Regiment(피자매연대) have started to take actions from 2000(statistical data: Google) in order to save the planet from pollution of chemical sanitary pads and to prevent women’s bodies from the danger of toxic materials.

 

 

What is ‘Girl’s Dream’?

In Korea, there are not many organizations which promote the making of alternatives to sanitary pads. However, there are many small groups in public institutions like youth centers which make sanitary pads out of natural material. To learn the process of making pure cotton pads and to find out more about the sanitary pad problem, I personally visited a feminist activity group called ‘Girl’s Dream’. ‘Girl’s Dream’ is a group from Gangnam Youth Center which makes pure cotton pads for young girls suffering from poverty and war in the 3rd world countries.

 

Girls in poor countries fail to buy normal sanitary pads and they are in a terrible situation where AIDS is spreading vastly. Also, they cannot go to school and continue their daily routines during their menstrual cycle period. In order to solve this problem, members of ‘Girl’s Dream’ make pads of 100% natural cotton and donate them to girls in need.

 

 

The process of making the cotton sanitary pads is not complicated. There are two separate cotton sheets and members are required to sew them together and add buttons on each side. Making one sanitary pad can be done in less than 40 minutes. Each member makes two sanitary pads in every group meetings which are held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. A member of ‘Girl’s Dream’ mentioned that she felt rewarded to participate in a meaningful activity in an easy and enjoyable way.

 

               

 

Moreover, ‘Girl’s Dream’ contacts with other organizations to send the cotton pads with different materials like dolls, stationary, etc. ‘Girl’s Dream’ fills a box with the handmade cotton pads and makes sure that it is delivered to the poor villages. While cotton pads have no harm to the user, they also have no negative effects to the environment. Members of ‘Girl’s Dream’ try to lessen the harm of sanitary pad problems and the rate of pollution by making cotton pads with great care.

 

 

To hear more about ‘Girl’s Dream’ I had the chance to reach Yang, Jin Hwa, an assistant administrator of the Gangnam Youth Center.

 

How could you briefly explain ‘Girl’s Dream’?

Girl’s Dream(小女之夢) began with the purpose of giving hope to poor girls suffering from war and poverty. We are currently donating sanitary pads that we have made to the girls in Thailand, Burma and in Uganda. This year, we have sent 100 pads to our friends in Thailand and Burma and 350 pads to the orphan girls who are suffering from AIDS in Uganda. Last year, we donated sanitary pads with stationery materials and warmers that we collected from our youth center’s CLUB DAY festival.

 

How do people participate in this activity?

‘Girl’s Dream’ functions in a form of a regular club. On January and February, interviews are held for girls wishing to participate in “Girl’s Dream” for the whole year. By taking part in the interviews by themselves, girls feel responsible and the ones who are selected feel proud and participate actively.

 

What could be the purpose or meaning of ‘Girl’s Dream’?

‘Girl’s Dream’ was formed in 2008 when the news that women in Thailand and Burma were not able to attend schools because of the lack of sanitary pads was heard by the Seoul YWCA International Cooperation (Gangnam Youth Center’s operating business). The club was organized to help poor girls living on the other side of the world who couldn’t even satisfy their most fundamental needs. I personally think that this can be a true act of global leadership.

 

Could you explain the plans for the future of ‘Girl’s Dream’?

From now on, ‘Girl’s Dream’ is planning to continue its donations to women in Thailand and Burma, orphans in Cambodia and to orphan girls suffering from AIDS in Uganda. Also we aim to collect un-used stationery materials to donate with the sanitary pads. To add, ‘Girl’s Dream’ is planning a pen-pal activity between girls in Korea and Uganda. We wish to hear from anyone who is interested.

 

 

Recently, middle schools and high schools in the Seoul district have gotten involved in the cotton sanitary pad making programs. This made more citizens to grow interest in the sanitary pad problem and it caused more feminist groups to shout out for the ban of chemical ingredients in sanitary pads. Like ‘Girl’s Dream’, the contribution of national groups will save more women from danger.

 

 

HOW TO GET INVOLVED INGIRLS DREAM

Gangnam Seoul Youth Center

Phone) 02-544-9725

Fax) 02-548-2462

Website) www.gangnamyc.or.kr

 

 

          

 

 

ALTERNATIVES TO SANITARY PADS NATIONAL FEMINIST GROUPS

Korea Women Link(한국여성민우회)   http://www.womenlink.or.kr/

Blood Sister Regiment(피자매연대)    http://www.bloodsisters.or.kr/

 

ALTERNATIVES TO SANITARY PADS FOREIGN SITES

Canada-Manymoons www.pacificcoast.net/~manymoons

Canada- Lunapads www.lunapads.com (Available in Korea)

USA-Gladrags www.gladrags.com

England-Menses www.menses.co,uk

 

 

+ Recent posts