Background
Over the past decade, South Korea has lived the violence of two very corrupt regimes. Among them, those who have suffered a great deal are powerless workers, victims of the nation. Their participation in labour strikes and labour disputes has led them to unemployment. Their wages, their retirement allowances, their bonuses, their home automobiles, and their bank accounts have all been seized provisionally. In addition, they are also suffering from the household economic crisis. Consequences to this situation include family dismissal, bad credit and bankruptcy. This critical situation leads to the increase of anxiety or stress and can lead to drastic options, such as suicide.
Activities
Sonjabgo (Hand in Hand in Korean) is a civic movement which includes the Society of the Sacred Heart (the only religious group member), advocating for the amendment of labour laws that cause severe damage to workers and their families, in particular by improving the legal system on damage claim suits, provisional seizure and business obstruction.
RSCJs, as an educator member de Sonjabgo, care for the continuity of the education of the affected workers’ children and cover high school tuition fees (scholarship) and allowances for under 5 years old. Following the annual Sonjabgo recommendations on the beneficiaries-to-be families, and following the Province available budget, RSCJs
- cover the $1.800/year tuition fees/student;
- make direct phone calls (or email) to beneficiary families to confirm scholarship
- make, at least twice a year, phone calls to the beneficiary students for greetings and encouragement;
- cover, from RSCJs personal donation, students’ summer activities. Students find out what they would like to do over summer and discuss it with RSCJs;
- look for 1:1 sponsor and $50/month subsidy for three years per beneficiary child;
- follow beneficiary children families in opening a bank account (in the name of the child, to be proven with a picture) where to receive the allowances;
- inform sponsor of the beneficiary family situation and the age and name of the child;
- participate in the Sonjabgo general meeting of its members;
- Read Sonjabgo newsletter.
Results
- In 2019, 8 students had their tuition fees paid for.
- In 2019, 8 families of children under 5 years old received allowances.
- Korean society is informed of the seriousness of unemployed workers
- Beneficiary families felt safer.
- Beneficiary families felt less lonely with the phone calls they receive from Sonjabgo members, Sonjabgo is their new “neighbour”
- Families that have benefitted from the scholarship keep regular contact with RSCJs.
