|
Altrusa-Korea |
|
The present Altrusa-Korea is the Korean chapter of Altrusa-International since 1983, as we joind as the 17th member club of the Altrusa International, which has main office in Chicago. Dr. Ko Whang Kyong who had received a scholarship while she studied in the States, organized a Altrusan club in Korea in 1946 which had been discontinued due to Korean War.
The Altrusa International, a world-wide volunteer service organization has devoted to contributing to human well-being through the development and implementation of effective local community service program. Despite issues of international concern, Altrusa is, first and foremost, a community based, grassroots organization that seeks to solve the problems in our back yards.
The principles of Altrusa which defines us as "a builder of women" were initiated by Mamie L. Bass in 1917. Originally the organization required its membership to be working professional women. Since we had different concept and traditions of women's role and profession in Korean society we decided to include house wives in our club who have a sound motivation to contribute themselves to a good cause in our society.
Our organization has been affiliated with the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs in Korean Government ever since the beginning of the club. We worked for children who were family heads, retarded children, and senior citizens. We also did career counselling and job training for less fortunate women, and provided child care service in a poor urban area.
|
|
Counselling Center for Women |
|
The Counselling Center for Women has been opened under the motto of "women with a healthy mind are the base and the maker of a good society". Any woman who received a help from us and healed by it will be able to give a help to others. We, the women who transmit and generate our culture, can spread the caring spirit and acts at home and through out our neighbourhood. Then eventually, a good society will be realized here.
For some years we were concerned and adopted the theme of Korean women's mental health as our objectives for our activities. Our members have been studying seriously on our own mental health and those of others. Finally, July 16 of this year we opened a Counselling Center for Women. It is a small and a humble place but is opened to any one who need a pair of listening ears, an understanding mind, a kind heart which can share pain and sorrow, and a spirit to illuminate others to find themselves. We are waiting to help someone with those needs. We do not dare to solve her problems but we will try to help her to see her own problems as clearly as possible and support her to solve them for herself.
Director : Eun-He Moon (Park), Address : 48-1 kyedong, jongno-ku, Seoul, Korea 110-800 Tel. 02-762-3977/8 Fax. 02-762-3979 |