What does donating mean to you? I define it this way: Making the world better with my small hand.

When I was young, I used to go to Jagalchi market (I lived in Busan before entering CWNU) with family on weekends. There were a lot of beggars lying face down on a worn-out board. They couldn’t use their legs, so they had to creep on the board with wheels. I felt deep pity for them, so I donated about 2,000 won which was big for an elementary school student. Even though the beggar didn’t say, “Thank you,” it didn’t matter. I just felt good after the first donation in my life.

After the weekend, I went to school. Since I wanted to share my first donation story with friends as soon as possible, I brought up the subject. They seemed to know the men in Jagalchi market. The next words they said shocked me, “I heard that they actually have a lot of money but pretend to be beggars,” “My teacher saw the beggar walking properly after his begging work and driving his own car.” This was the time an 11-year-old girl’s pure heart faced a cruel reality. Due to this experience, I always have been hesitant in donating. To be honest, I was scared that my true helping hand would hurt.

However, I read an article that somewhere, impoverished girls couldn’t afford sanitary pads so they had to stand with shoe inserts for every monthly period. This is because sanitary pads are expensive. It shouldn’t be like that. Without a doubt, it’s unsanitary and critical for the girls growing. While monthly menstruation is painful, it is a signal that women are in good health and shows the possibility of having babies which is lucky. For girls from low-income families, 1 week in every month is like a nightmare.

Luckily, many people heard this news and sent them sanitary pads and some made a support organization. To make the world a better place, people are giving warm hands. It might have been an excuse that I was scared to help others.

Now is the time I shall give warm hands.

Seo Su-jin, editor-in-chief  cg0314@naver.com

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