For the last four months, I organized a clothes donation as the president of the Jeju branch of KIYA (Korean International Youth Alliance). What began as a simple idea slowly grew into something much bigger than I had imagined!
The clothes were donated by a renowned clothing company located in Seoul. My role was to organize and arrange this event so that the donation could happen in real life, in Jeju, in this specific community in Seogwipo. There were countless messages, calls, and meetings with different people behind the scenes, making sure everything came together! I never knew there would be so many things to take into consideration, like shipping, distribution, contacting multiple people at once, etc. Although the process was often overwhelming (since I was balancing my school work and end-of-year exams with it), the challenges reminded me why this project mattered in the first place.
As a result, approximately ₩8 million (about USD 5,220) worth of new clothing for children and teenagers from low-income families across Seogwipo were succesfully donated to the center, and distributed individually after categorizing the clothing, and the rest of it was distributed through an inexpensive flea market. Seeing the boxes finally arrive at the welfare center after months of preparation was one of those moments that made all the effort feel worthwhile. On June 18th, I visited the center to take a look at the flea market and meet all the staffs that helped me in the process. They were so sweet!! By the way, their biscuits were so nice 🙂 I also took an official picture with them, so that this event could be on the local news. This is my first time being featured in local news! I was very excited.
One aspect of this project that I am especially proud of is the collaboration behind it. Filipino youth from the International Kabataan Union (IKU) joined us in raising funds to support children here in Jeju (they provided the shipping fee). I do think this is a meaningful example of how young people from different countries can work together for a shared purpose. Also, the way the staffs of Seogwipo Community Welfare Center greeted me, told me how they are very grateful for this event, and asked me to always remember them in the future and keep an eye on what they will do reminded me how meaningful it is when people come together and help each other!
