2010년 10월 28일 목요일

Experience Program for Equal Partnership in Future Marital Life of College Students

Only Women are Responsible for Housework?


On August 21st, the Experience Program for Equal Partnership in Future Marital Life of College Students was provided by Seoul YWCA as part of its effort to make a society that job can be compatible with housework. This program is to let participants know how difficult it could be compatible between job and housework and give them opportunity to think about what is equal partnership in marital life.


At first session, Lee Youngja, a guest lecturer, told about gender equality under the title of "Our Home". Before the lecture, participants enjoyed a variety of recreation activities and watched several movies relating gender equality including 'At Her House'. Then, Lee asked for participants' opinions about how they should understand and consider each other in marriage and what they would do if they were in the shoes of person in the movies. One participant said, "I am going to work after graduation. But if I were forced retirement because I was pregnant like the woman in the movie, I would not know what to do. Besides, even if I could work after giving birth, who could care for my baby instead of me?" "Like a couple in the movie, I remember my parent used to fight with each other because of doing housework. I think every wife need to be respected as a individual human being by her husband. They showed hope and blueprint on equal partnership between husband and wife.


Following Lee's lecture, Jin Sungil, who is writing a series of baby book on a webzine called 'Online If', told them his real experience. With his wife and son, he came to tell his know-how on caring for baby and doing housework together with his wife. He said, "Most husbands say they can fully understand about wives' difficulty in doing housekeeping and bringing up their baby. But child-caring and housework are not about understanding but doing. As we have to cook by ourselves to learn how to cook, we have to do housework and care for children by ourselves to fully understand how tough they are."


After all lectures ended, participants gave their thoughts about the gender equality. "Actually, I thought negatively about gender equality and women's organizations before. But I could broaden my view of gender issues after taking this program." "It was really good chance to think again about marriage and child care, which I am going to go through." Through this program, all participants will be able to respect spouse's opinion in their future marriage and make a society where housework and job can be compatible.

Knock! Knock! Seoul YWCA's Club Activities

'So Nyeo Ji Mong'


Youth Club for promoting health of girls living in developing countries


Three years ago, for women's health in the third world countries, some girls from middle and high schools have started volunteer club called 'So Nyeo Ji Mong'.


To make a direct translation of this name, it means 'girls' dream', but they wanted to show their will to let the girls suffering from war and poverty have dreams and hope.

In every second and forth Saturday morning, 12 members from forth group gather to make cotton sanitary napkins. Wonder why they make cotton sanitary napkin? They started to make it to help girls living in developing countries, who couldn't go to school for want of sanitary pads. Since 2008, they have made the napkins and sent those to girls in Thailand, Cambodia, and Uganda. Particularly, it is worthwhile to protect Ugandan orphan girls from secondary HIV infection by using sanitary napkins. In addition, at the youth festival called 'Club Day', they inform other students that using disposable sanitary napkins damages women's health and pollutes the environment as well.


To be honestly, it felt awkward and ashamed to make sanitary pads at first. But for now, they take great pride in protecting women's lives and health with the sanitary napkins that they made themselves. Sometimes they were hard to keep sewing, and sometimes they were not sure whether they could really help out somebody by making sanitary napkins. However, they now put their love and wish into every stitch with belief that they could support those in need.


After completion of making sanitary napkin, they wrap it with a card they wrote. Although they have never met the girls in person but in the picture that a missionary sent, they always started writing a card by saying 'My Friend' because they have been thinking of them as real friends. They said, "It is a bit hard to write a card in English, but we really hope that they would be happy to read these." Now they are looking for more club members. If interested, please contact Gangnam Youth Center at 02-544-9835.