Our Korean neighbours have been lending a helping hand in these times of crisis. The Korean Association of Kolkata, with its head quarters in CJ Block, has raised Rs 3 lakh that they used to buy food and distribute in seven areas in and around the city.
Set up in the early 2000s, the association has nearly 100 member families that helped raise the funds. “But due to social distancing protocols, very few of us went over to distribute the rice, pulses, biscuits etc,” said president of the body, Daehun Moon. They held the relief camps at Ultadanga, Sealdah, Dhapa, Bashirhat, Jodthbhim in Rajarhat, Paschim Chowbaga near Science City and a centre for the homeless in Beliaghata.
The final leg was on Monday, at Dhapa, where they handed over 2,500kg of grains to 500 migrant workers. “We identified the seven spots based on reports from the news, friends and our own members who have business there,” said Moon. “In each place, we contacted local leaders who helped us with the distribution.”
For group secretary Seong Kuk Jeong, this was the first time he visited these areas but he received positive vibes from the residents. “We spoke to them a little, in a mixture of Bangla, Hindi and English. I asked them “Bhalo achho?” and they replied “Bhalo achhi,” smiles Jeong, who runs a taekwondo training centre in CJ Block.
When Covid-19 broke out, some member families returned to their motherland. “Korea is handling the crisis well but still, as residents of Calcutta, we wanted to help out here. Our association mostly works on cultural exchange but even when the Vivekananda Road flyover collapsed we had helped out financially,” says Moon.