Try soap made by international housewives!
(Published March 28, 2012)

[(14) Job creation! Looking at community enterprises] ‘Dosil’ in Bucheon 
 

◇ Bucheon City has long considered new ways to create jobs for married immigrants in the municipality

Last July, the Bucheon City Saemaeul Association kicked off a community business that makes ‘Dosil,’ an EM (effective microorganisms) soap. (Dosil is also the name of the company.) ⓒ G-News Plus

This is especially meaningful since this community company is situated in the city with the largest number of multicultural families in Korea. 

After an extensive study on ways to create jobs for its married immigrants, the Saemaeul Association of Bucheon launched a community company that makes EM soap under the brand name ‘Dosil.’

‘Dosil’ means ‘peach’ in Korean, and the peach is a symbol of Bucheon City. 

The company is based in a district of Wonmi-gu where many foreign workers reside.

The company is currently staffed by three Thai housewives, a local EM soap expert and two local members of the Saemaeul Association.

The Dosil Company manufactures natural soap that minimizes water pollution with edible grape-seed oil, olive oil, natural aromatics and colors among other ingredients.

The company also makes EM laundry soap with green bamboo, Houttuynia cordata (also known as lizard tail or chameleon plant), and Angelica Utilis Makino (a medicinal plant). The mixture of these materials is left to age for six weeks.

The natural soap minimizes skin irritation while strengthening the auto-regulation of skin microcirculation.

The elderly like the soap for its soothing effect on sensitive skin. Mothers of young children prefer it for its moisturizing effect and negligible irritation of atopic skin.

The Dosil Company also makes soap bouquets and baskets with naturally scented soaps. They are popular for their practicality and prices compared to flower bouquets and baskets.

Dosil’s turnover for 2011 was KRW 46 million.

The company expects to see an even better financial outcome in 2012. 

Gyeonggi Province provided the company with KRW 50 million in the form of a supporting grant, while the company bore approximately KRW 10 million of its start-up costs.

The company suffered slightly in the beginning because of its large investment in materials. However, it has now stabilized as its products sell very well.

“I have felt sorry for married immigrants for so long. They are having difficulties raising their children. Many of them are also unhappy that they had to give up their jobs because of marriage. Even if they work here, they are treated just like foreign workers when they are actually citizens or permanent residents of this country,” said Kim Mi-jeong, manager of the Bucheon Saemaeul Association. “I hope more companies like Dosil are established in Bucheon and provide its married immigrants with jobs and pride.”

Ⓒ G-News Plus / Im Se-jeen / sejeenee@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201203281335416600C048&s_code=C048