SIETAR Japan, Kansai Chapter, April 2010        “Support for the Elderly who have different cultural backgrounds: Aiming at fully accepting Harumoni (the Korean Elderly) as they really are“

Presenter:     Ms. Nam, Sunhyong

Date:          Sunday April 25, 2010 (3:00pm-5:00pm)

Place:         Takatsuki Shiritsu Shogai Gakushu Center, Rm 2

        (10 minutes walk from JR Takatsuki Station or Hankyu Takatsuki Station)

               Tel:(072)674-7700http://www.city.takatsuki.osaka.jp/bunka/manabi

Fee:           500 yen for members and students,   1,000 yen for non-members

Language:      Japanese

 

Description of presentation:

 

What is Elfa?

Ms. Nam will talk about the past and the present situation of zainichi Koreans and Elfa, an organization originally established to meet the needs of Zainichi Koreans.

Zainichi roughly means Korean residents.  Most of them were born and raised in Japan.

Elfa is a nickname of a nonprofit organization formerly known as the Center for the Lives of Koreans in Kyoto.  Elfa was established in 2001 in Kyoto.  Since then Elfa has been engaging in welfare work for minorities such as Zainichi Koreans.  Its activities include running a day-care center for the elderly, visiting the elderly for daily assistance, and providing training for day-care workers. In April 2005 a new program for child care was begun by Elfa, which was given approval by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

 

Profile of Nam, Sunhyong:

 

Nam,Sunhyong is the Executive Secretary of Elfa*. (*See description of Elfa below)  Born in Tokyo in 1966, she was educated in Korean schools from primary school to university.  After working as a journalist for Chosen-Shinpo, a Korean newspaper, she moved to Kyoto in 2000.  Since 2001 she has been in her current position.  She is married and a mother of two sons.  One is a second grader in high school and the other a fourth grader in primary school.