“Ewha Eco Shop was opened to celebrate Ewha’s 125th anniversary by honoring the founding spirit of Ewha; serving and sharing with other people,” said Park Ji-young, an official of the OURD. “Also, we named the shop ‘Eco Shop’ to promote eco-friendly shopping by recycling used products.”
To promote the “Sharing Spirit,” the shop traffics in secondhand items, as well as new items donated from Ewha professors, graduates, students, and others. Volunteers not only donated the products, but also designed the shop’s interior as well as the boxes for receiving donated products. Workers at the Eco Shop are also volunteers including retired professors, both in and outside of Ewha.
“I was happy to design the store since I was able to donate my talent to Ewha and people in need,” said professor Choi Kyoung-sil (Space Design), who voluntarily designed the shop’s interior.
Customers should pay with cash only since the profits will agian be donated as scholarships for Ewha students with financial difficulties, as grants for establishing schools in underprivileged areas, or as funds for digging wells in underdeveloped countries.
Ewha students have shown positive responses to the Ewha Eco Shop as it provides its customers with a variety of products, including shoes, accessories, clothes, bowls, books, and even more, all at low price.
“I have visited here twice since I find the shop’s products cheap and useful,” said Aynur Mammadova (International Studies, Graduate School), who bought a shirt and a handbag with Korean traditional pattern. “I think this shop is a good way to spread the philanthropic spirit.”
Ewha Eco Shop accepts any kind of volunteer help from people at Ewha. Anyone wishing to donate items can place them in the donation boxes around the campus or directly bring the items to the OURD. Anyone interested in helping can apply as a volunteer by filling up the application form in the store. For further information, call (02) 3277-3701.
Yang Su-bin
subinyang@ewhain.net