“Global Voice for Women”
Kim Min-seon, the Governor of the Soroptimist International of America, Korea Region
By Park Sue-hye, Guest Reporter
During summer vacation, I met a special woman who has enlivened people’s life with a cordial heart Governor Kim Min-sun, head of the Soroptimist International of Korea (SIK). On my way to SIK headquarters in Seoul, I got butterflies in my stomach at the thought of meeting the woman who keeps such a high position and does so many good deeds. With a polite knock I entered the office and her great welcoming smile,, and warm atmosphere immediately got rid of my nervousness. It made me understand her philosophy: the way to enjoy happiness is helping others without pay. This interview provided me with the opportunity to look back on my university life.
Soroptimist, What Does It Means?
Soroptimist International, which stands for “Best for women”, might be new and unfamiliar to the people who, like me, have never heard that term before. According to Governor Kim, it is the biggest worldwide volunteer organization, most of its members are professional women. When it started in Oakland, USA in 1921, its mission was simply to improve the quality of life for girls and women. Nowadays, the SI is made up of four federations: SI of the Americas (SIA), SI of Great Britain & Ireland, SI of Europe, and SI of the South West Pacific. More than 90,000 members from 120 countries around the world have been active in their own fields, and the SI is growing bigger and stronger. The SI of Korea is part of the SIA, was established in 1966 and has 26 clubs in various cities, including Seoul, Pusan, Dae-gu, Gwangju and Dae-jun.
One of the main service projects of the SIA is the Women’s Opportunity Awards. In Korea, women at the head of a family are under the twin pressures of poverty and neglect, so the SIK supports them with some money to acquire professional skills such as cooking, sewing, hairdressing, etc. I was really impressed with these kinds of projects and moreover I hope that many women in need take part in the Soroptimist programs and can improve the quality of their lives. How does the SIK raise funds? Not only does the SIA send 8,000 dollars to SIK a year, but its members also donate their own money to the federation. In addition, they hold a charity bazaar (rummage sale) once a month. The SIA is also making an effort to operate the Violet Richardson Award, which gives an award to young women volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17. With so many programs and opportunities, Governor Kim hopes that many girls and women, especially university students will participate in the SIA’s volunteer programs.
Unforgettable Volunteer Works in Uganda, Iran and Kenya
Governor Kim, who was a promising vocalist, formed her first connection with volunteer work because of her diplomat husband. She and her husband visited undeveloped countries like Uganda, Iran, and Kenya. Not having been accustomed to living in such poor countries, she had a really hard time at first, and resented her husband for having a job like that. However, as time went by, she realized that the people in those countries were very humane and warm, and lived in harmony with nature and each other. She began to do volunteer work and after a while she gave a charity concert to help orphans in Kenya.
During the civil war in Uganda, many pregnant women were dying because of unfavorable medical circumstances, so she helped support the construction of hospitals and provided some medical instruments with her diplomatic corps. In Iran, when a tremendous earthquake made thousands of children orphans overnight, she quickly made up her mind to help them as a vice president of the diplomatic corps. They donated televisions and refrigerators to orphanages, raising the money by holding a charity bazaar. She said she will never forget those experiences. After coming back to Korea with a strong desire to continue her volunteer work, she joined SI through a friend who was already a member. Thanks to her strong past and various volunteer experiences, she soon became the governor of SIK and has been working constantly to increase membership in SI clubs.
Hope and Action, the Best for Women
I wondered what the SI means to her. She said, “This work makes my life happy and meaningful. Whenever I help people in need, I feel alive and my heart fills at the sight of their smiling face. Becoming the governor of SIK may be perhaps the most rewarding work of my life. If I had not participated in SI, I would not have met so many good people and could not have experienced volunteer work.” She added that those experiences could not be bought with money and were more valuable than any other thing.
“If I were a little younger, I could do everything and enjoy my life even more. It is priceless to help others. One of my hopes is training more volunteer workers especially young women. It would be better if university students participate in a variety of volunteer activities out of their own desire, when they are young. I hope there are many respectful volunteer workers like Han Bi-ya in Korea. If so, our world could be full of love, happiness and passion.”
Coming back to Gwangju after that memorable interview, I thought of what I had done until now and wondered whether I had participated in volunteer work without any thought of reward like Han Bi-ya and Governor Kim Min-sun. Most university students, myself included, might have regarded volunteer work as a means of getting a job because of the circumstances of our society. However, I have come to believe that the most valuable work I do in my life might be helping others without the expectation of a reward.
Join the Soroptimist club in Gwangju
Are you thinking about doing volunteer work? How about joining the Soroptimist club in Gwangju? This club will make your life brighter and more meaningful. There are three Soroptimist clubs in Gwangju: Seosuk, Mu-deung, and Gwangju clubs. They hold a regular general meeting on the 6th of every month and their activities are truly heartwarming. .
They share warmth by helping neighbors in need; especially supporting “loving rice” with teenage breadwinners, and giving scholarships and tuition fees to underprivileged children. Also, they regularly visit welfare facilities for the mentally ill to carry out volunteer activities like supporting them I their daily tasks, talking with them and helping them adjust to their life. Helping the less fortunate is truly noble and personally, it gives me a really good feeling. If you would like to join these clubs, or just want more information, visit the Soroptimist website (www.soroptomist.co.kr). It could be the most rewarding work of your life.