Korea International Cooperation Agency Donates Equipment to Progresando Training Centers in El Seibo

Korea International Cooperation Agency Donates Equipment to Progresando Training Centers in El Seibo
El Seibo, Dominican Republic 3/9/2012

The donation was made with the objective of training the residents of El Seibo in making ceramic arts and crafts and ultimately improving the condition of their lives.

“It is a learning and production workshop because the young people who have specialized and will specialize here will learn and produce for the stores and for crafts selling points established by the Office of the First Lady …

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) donated ceramic-making instruments and machines to the Eugenio María de Hostos Progresando Production and Training Center in this province. This donation will directly benefit the residents of the community who will undertake a training program and learn to use the new equipment and tools.

Instruments donated by representatives of KOICA include 25 to 30-centimeter pottery wheels which are used to throw, or shape, the ceramic pieces on the wheel to be baked into clay and glass pieces. They will also receive oil paint, undercoat paint and glaze, powdered clay, books about making ceramics, pliers and clips, ceramic ovens and an electric pottery wheel.

Dania Constanzo, manager of the Progresando Program and Training Center, speaking in the name of the First Lady and the entire Progresando team, thanked the representatives of KOICA for having made their dream a reality. She said that with this investment they will begin the artistic ceramic pottery course where they will train the men and women of El Seibo.

“It is a learning and production workshop because the young people who have specialized and will specialize here will learn and produce for the stores and for crafts selling points established by the Office of the First Lady (DPD in Spanish) which have agreements in Bávaro and other tourist areas. We have a totally modern workshop,” she said.

In-Kyung Hong, Director of the KOICA office in the Dominican Republic, said he appreciated the confidence placed in the agency. He explained that it has been in the DR since 1996, collaborating to reduce poverty in the country. He explained that KOICA has been collaborating with the DPD for the past two years. “Working with the Office of the First Lady has been a good experience because they make a great effort to improve the quality of life for women,” said Mr. Hong.

Likewise, Yeonjoo Lee, KOICA volunteer, explained that he was looking for an interesting life experience and ended up finding it when he moved to the Dominican Republic.  “I want to encourage people to choose a more professional technique and afterward to possess a talent and skill they can use to survive by making ceramics.”

The donation was made with the objective of training the people of El Seibo to make hand-crafted ceramic art and to ultimately improve their living conditions. Fulfilling the goal of reducing poverty in the nation is one of the main objectives of the Office of the First Lady and KOICA.

The event was held in a classroom that will soon be used to give the pottery course as part of the Progresando Training and Production Center in El Seibo.