ChildFund Korea Builds Child Center in Tongyeong

Korea JoongAng Daily reported that ChildFund Korea, a social welfare organization, has a child center in Mireuk Island in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang, and attends to children ages 4 to 6 by staging a play and reading a fairy tale done by 12th-grade students from Chungryol Girls' High School.

Kim Ye Ji, a student who initiated the idea for the play said, "I now want to help those who are less fortunate than me. When I started to have a more compassionate mind, I think I became more mature."

Eighteen years old Jeong Ye Ji also stated, "Thinking about myself from my parent's standpoint, my relationship with my mother improved as well.

The Principal of Chungryol Girls' High School, An Jin Cheol said, "Students have become very mature after taking the roles of teachers. There is no better character education than helping others."

ChildFund Korea works on the main principle of resident participation. All residents act as teachers to the 30 registered children in the said center.

Aside from Tongyeong, ChildFund Korea also operates in Naju, North Jeolla; Pohang, North Gyeongsang; and Uijeonbu, Gyeonggi.

In the child center of the organization in Tongyeong, 55-year old Gwon Maeng Suk provides meals for the kids and also hears the kids' different concerns and troubles. Gwon helps the children overcome their troubles.

After the rape and murder of an elementary school student in Mireuk Island, the officials of Tongyeong City and Mireuk Island residents asked for ChildFund Korea's help to build a child center. Two years ago, the organization established a two-story building on a land provided by the city and residents' donations. The establishment has a toy library, book cafe, and an assembly hall where the kids could play and roam freely.

Dr. Go Ju Ae from ChildFund Korea's Child Welfare Research Division mentioned, "The best method for character education is to restore communities with the active participation of schools, families, and regional communities."