Migrant women’s group awarded for helping multicultural families
A group of migrant women were selected recently as this year’s first winners of an award from KT Group Hope Sharing Foundation, thanks to their decade-long contribution to multicultural families in Korea, according to the telecommunication firm, Monday.
The migrant women are members of Rainbow Happy Job Cooperative, a social enterprise established in southwestern Seoul’s Guro District in 2014. It is Korea’s first cooperative founded by migrant women.
The cooperative’s leader is Kim Hong-ri, who was born in China and naturalized in Korea after migrating with her husband in 2002.
She founded the cooperative with other migrant women, after teaching Chinese in Korea.
The cooperative has carried out various activities for multicultural families and migrant women.
At child care centers and kindergartens in Guro District, the cooperative has introduced the unique cultures of each foreign country and participated in multicultural festivals and other events to raise awareness about multicultural households.
In addition, it has helped more than 30 migrant women from 18 countries become multicultural instructors introducing their different cultures to Korean society and have confidence in looking for jobs in this country.
Since 2021, the cooperative has supported needy residents of Guro District, including victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding.
“I founded the cooperative to improve systems and raise awareness about multicultural families and migrant women,” Kim said. “Through various activities, we will do our best for multicultural families and migrant women to settle in our community.”
KT Group Hope Sharing Foundation has been awarding prizes since 2021 to individuals and groups for their social contributions. Starting this year, its employees participate in volunteer work for local communities alongside the award winners.
“We will continue supporting the prize winners and carrying out volunteer work for local communities with them,” a foundation official said. “We will give awards to any people making social contributions, regardless of their age and where they live.”