Hao Hao Women's Rights Development Association, Cai Shun Rou, helps immigrants carve out a niche of their own

In cooperation with IC Voice FM97.5【New Students Report For Sharing -We are in Taiwan】, a series of exciting stories about new immigrants in Taiwan is launched. This episode invites the director of the Pingtung County Hao Hao Women's Rights Development Association – Cai Shun Rou (蔡順柔) who organized a group that cares about women, human rights, the environment, and immigrants.

The group members are not only fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese Hokkien, but they also serve as lecturers in the school and provide consultation for foreign workers and foreign spouses.

【Taiwan Immigrants' Global News Network】presents this episode in 5 languages including Chinese, English, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian, enabling more readers and listeners to explore the association’s efforts to help immigrants carve out a niche of their own.

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The association’s helping hands expanded to the seniors. (Photo / Provided by蔡順柔)

Cai Shun Rou devoted her time to immigrant matters since 2005 and she realized some inequalities exist in the society. In 2008, she founded the “Pingtung County Hao Hao Women's Rights Development Association”. Through their public participation and services, immigrants and their children are encouraged to be empowered.

What is most special in Pingtung is that not only do immigrants themselves participate in related matters but so as their family members.

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Cai Shun Rou joined Pingtung County Immigrants Creative Market. (Photo / Provided by蔡順柔)

Director Cai stated that group members must be resilient as they might face discrimination as immigrants. For example, when they talked about the concept of multiculturalism in the senior community class, they were confronted by questions such as “Child steals things because his parent is Vietnamese?” At first, the group members might shed a few tears secretly, but now they could keep calm and respond to them in an unhurried manner.

To encourage more people to reflect on and improve themselves, the community courses provided by the association include multicultural family summer camp, level C technician for culinary classes and driving classes, etc., which has received an enthusiastic response.

The association also undertakes the Ministry of Culture’s “Immigrants’ Arts and Culture Promotion and Community Development Project”. (Photo / Provided by蔡順柔)

In addition, the Hao Hao Women's Rights Development Association also undertakes the Ministry of Culture’s “Immigrants’ Arts and Culture Promotion and Community Development Project”, enabling immigrants to write and execute plans. By participating in the plan, they can promote multicultural equality through a bottom-up approach.