Gwangju Dong-gu Women-Friendly Village “Dadongae” Selected as an Outstanding Village Community Case

Gwangju Dong-gu women-friendly village 'Dadongae' was recognized as a growth model through community activities of married immigrant women and was selected as one of the 2025 Gwangju City Outstanding Village Community Cases. Provided by Gwangju Dong-gu

Gwangju Dong-gu announced on the 4th that its women-friendly village “Dadongae” was recognized as a growth model for married immigrant women through community activities and was selected as a “2025 Gwangju City Village Community Best Practice.”

Dadongae has established itself as a leading self-reliance and growth model for married immigrant women by creating a virtuous cycle that connects education, volunteer work, and employment. It is a self-help group composed of married immigrant women from five countries, including Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, and Japan. Formed in 2021 with the goal of solidarity and growth among migrant women, it has built a strong network and strengthened its capabilities through women-friendly village activities.

They focused on the fact that married immigrant women have few opportunities for economic activity in the local community and limited interaction among residents. Through member meetings, interviews with married immigrants, and surveys of local residents, they chose “nail art” as an alternative, as it offers good accessibility and is relatively easy to learn as a skill.

As a result, over the past three years, 30 married immigrant women have completed professional nail art training through women-friendly village projects run by the city and Dong-gu, and 5 of them have obtained certifications. They have expanded their points of contact with local residents by offering nail art talent donations a total of 30 times at welfare centers, senior centers, and community centers.

In particular, since 2023, they have continued their nail art talent donations for women merchants participating in the “3 p.m., My Liberation Time” yoga class operated by the Dong-gu Women’s Hope Creative Studio, thereby engaging in steady exchange and contribution activities within the local community. They are also gaining experience as professional technicians by running nail art demonstrations and hands-on booths at various events such as the Dong-gu Manse Flea Market, humanities festivals, and village festivals.

Building on these achievements, Dadongae is preparing for a new leap forward with the goal of establishing a “cooperative-type nail studio” to further expand migrant women’s social participation and economic self-reliance. Tailored support such as consulting and capacity-building education from the Dong-gu Women’s Hope Creative Studio, which supports women-friendly villages, has also served as a foundation for their growth.

Representative Son Sunhwa said, “The greatest reward has been creating a structure in which married immigrants bring joy to residents with skills they have learned on their own, and that in turn leads to jobs,” adding, “We will continue to take on challenges so that talent sharing can develop into a sustainable revenue model.”

An official from Dong-gu said, “This is a highly symbolic case that goes beyond simple technical training, in which married immigrant women contribute to the local community, regain their confidence, and work out their own problems,” and added, “We will continue to serve as a strong supporter so that migrant women can stand as confident, independent members of the local community.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.