Dispatching first oversea volunteer group of universities nationwide,
practicing love for humanity beyond Borders for 2 weeks
[2009-6-26]
Yeungnam University(President Lee, Hyo-Soo) will cultivate a 'forest of life' at Kubuqi Desert as the first among universities nationwide. The students of Yeungnam University are leaving for oversea volunteer service in order to use the vacation as a period of opportunity to grow as global citizens, not a period to be free from learning.
Yeungnam University oversea volunteer group leaving to plant life at the Kubuqi Desert of Neimenggu
The Kubuqi Desert located in Neimenggu is a source area of yellow dust that heavily covers the sky of Northeast Asia, each spring. In this place where tree shade to avoid the scorching sun of midsummer going up to 40 degrees celsius is nowhere to be found, the Yeungnam University oversea volunteer group will launch into cultivating a forest from July 1st to 15th.
Although they cannot plant trees directly because it is not a planting period, there is a lot of work waiting for hands of these people such as watering trees that are already planted, building protective fence around trees, moving the fallen trees, repairing tubular well and taking care of young plants. Besides, Yeungnam University students are planning to play the roles of publicity ambassadors to introduce Korean culture along with services taking efforts such as helping with street cleanup, harvesting field crops like wheat‧corn or teaching Korean to Chinese children while presenting enjoyable time to elders by visiting local asylum for the aged.
Choi, Won-Jung (22, School of Economics and Finance, Senior) who is in charge as a team manager of Kubuqi Desert oversea volunteer group said "Although it would be nice to make up for insufficient studies or prepare for employment during vacation, I think it is more important to mature one's character using the opportunity to serve for the human race and concern about the global problems" and promised that "although I wouldn't be able to communicate well and there will be many inconveniences, I'll come back even healthier after serving with enjoyable heart as much as it is an opportunity to contribute for the global people and future as well as my own family and myself."
Vacation Is Opportunity To Grow As 'Global Citizen'
Yeungnam University, Dispatches 80 Oversea Volunteers to China‧Philippines
Although it is clear that they will have a hard time in poor environment, the competitive rate of Yeungnam University oversea volunteer group screening process held in April was 4 to 1. The final successful candidates could be chosen only after in-depth interview because about 320 people had gathered for recruiting 80 volunteers to be dispatched to a total of 4 areas such as Neimenggu and Harbin of China or Batankas and Iloilo of Philippines.
While 80 students selected like this had received volunteer service training such as CPR, first-aid treatment, taekwondo lecture and dance lecture from the invited professional instructors since May, they prepared for oversea volunteer service by doing volunteer activities after visiting nearby social welfare facilities directly every Saturday.
These students who had launching ceremony at Yeungnam University museum auditorium on June 6 will be departing to their service area in the morning of July 1.
The Dean of Office of Student Affairs Ryu, Ho-Sang said that "I hope the students would be able to gain knowledge and virtue as global citizens through oversea volunteer service" by saying that "there are many university students who are not able to have spare time even during vacations due to serious unemployment these days. But it is necessary to build up an insight and experience to see the world with greater perspective during university years and not just concentrated on the credits or English scores that they are faced with. That's because 21st century requires a talent that possesses symbiotic rather than competitive mind."
Continued Deposit of Supporting Goods by Local Enterprises
The local enterprises are also giving a hand of support to the oversea volunteer service of Yeungnam University. In the afternoon of 29th, the Gyeongbuk branch of Kogas, Daw Asset Management, Seoheung ENG and Fursys Artist OPC had visited Yeungnam University to deliver stationery including pencils, notebooks, ball point pens and crayons and medical products equivalent to 2,000 US $ in market price asking them to be used for oversea volunteer service activity.
In the delivery ceremony of this day, the business support team manager Keum, Kyo-Ha of Kogas Gyeongbuk branch said that "I'm very proud of Yeungnam University students who are leaving for volunteer activity to an oversea inland by giving up their vacation" by saying that "Most companies consider volunteer work experience as very important factors while hiring new employees these days. That's because they believe a person who can serve for others has basic nature of being able to dedicate for the company."
For this, the dean Ryu, Ho-Sang said that "Thank you very much for timely support of stationeries that we really need" by saying "The San Hernimo village of Iloilo in Philippines among this volunteer activity areas is a region that especially needs a helping hand, According to the report from preliminary visit, most students didn't have pencils and notebooks. The primary school for Korean ethnicity where Harbin team of China will perform volunteer activity was also in a difficult situation."
Meanwhile, Yeungnam University has been dispatching oversea volunteer groups to places like China, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Southeast Asia since winter vacation of 2001. The Yeungnam University oversea volunteer activity where about 1,400 students participate until this summer vacation is becoming an opportunity for each student to mature in their character while playing a great role in private diplomacy of raising external image of the Republic of Korea as a nation.
