HCM CITY - Teachers and students at HCM City’s School for Disabled Children are touched by the kindness of Vietnamese and Korean university students and Korean apparel export company Hansae Co., Ltd., highlighting the importance of the multifaceted cooperation between Việt Nam and Korea.

Hansae Yes24 Foundation has been organising volunteer groups consisting of Korean university students and people majoring in Korean language in Việt Nam, who spend time with disabled students at the school in Củ Chi District and paint murals for 10 days every year.

Principal of the school, Hồ Thị Rốt, expressed her gratitude to Hansae in an interview with Korea’s Yonhap News Agency and the Vietnam News Agency in late August for sincerely reaching out to students with disabilities.

Hansae has also been donating educational equipment such as TVs, PCs and speakers to the school since 2010.

Hansae Yes24 Foundation's university student volunteers make clay models with students at the School for Disabled Children in Củ Chi District. - Photo courtesy of Hansae

The nine classrooms at the school are used to teach subjects such as Vietnamese, music and mathematics to 100 students aged six to 18 with disabilities such as deafness, autism, developmental disabilities, and Down syndrome.

“We are receiving government support, but it is not enough, and it is not easy to operate because there are many students who have been abandoned by their parents,” Rốt said.

“The sincerity and actions of Hansae University student volunteer groups are touching the hearts of teachers and students, and help boost their confidence.

“I was especially touched by the way the Korean university students happily get along with the students without any hint of discrimination. Despite the language barrier, our students really like playing with the Hansae volunteer groups.

“Hansae has helped our students go one step further, and I hope that our partnership with the volunteer groups will continue in future.”

Hồ Thị Rốt, principal of Củ Chi District’s School for Disabled Children. - Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Hansae, founded by its chairman, Kim Dong Nyeong, in 1982, established Hansae Vietnam Co., Ltd., in Củ Chi in 2001 and two more in Tây Ninh Province’s Trảng Bàng Town and Tiền Giang’s Châu Thành District.

The company has also been expanding its business in Việt Nam, establishing offices in Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng and Cần Thơ cities and Thanh Hóa Province.

It has also acquired C&T Vina, a fabric manufacturing plant.

The company is focused on its social responsibility, which also showcases the positive results of Korea-Việt Nam co-operation and the existence of Korean businesses in Việt Nam.

Since 2004 the company’s factories have been providing scholarships to local elementary, middle and high school students, and since 2017 have been donating 10,000 books to 100 elementary schools every year.

According to Shin Soo Chul, the company’s country managing director, since 2010 Hansae has been promoting cultural exchanges between Korea and Việt Nam through its University Student Overseas Volunteer programme besides providing various kinds of support to help develop the community, such as by sponsoring music festivals and building houses.

“The reason why our … clothing manufacturing company is attempting various activities such as donating books to schools and sponsoring music events is to achieve a win-win result with local residents rather than simply achieving success in our business.

“We put a high value on diversity, equity and inclusion, and based on this we have shown our interest in various social issues.”

Trần Long Thuận, a Hansae employee, and Shin Soo Chul, the company’s country managing director. - Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Trần Long Thuận, who joined the company after graduating from university with tuition support from Hansae and is in charge of corporate social responsibility (CSR), said: “Being trusted by the company to oversee CSR, I always try my best and make as many contributions as possible to not only bring benefits to Hansae Vietnam but also local communities.”

Korea and Việt Nam celebrated the 30th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic relations in December last year, officially elevating their relations to the level of “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.

Economic cooperation between the two countries has expanded dramatically due to the combined efforts of South Korean businesses and Vietnamese workers. - VNS