Sebang Euisunjae Foundation Completes Environmental Improvements at 10 Community Child Centers in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City

Participants at the Hope Switch On event. Provided by Sebang Lee Soonjae Foundation

The Sebang Euisunjae Foundation announced on September 14 that it had completed environmental improvement construction at 10 community child centers in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City as part of the “Hope Switch On” initiative. A final plaque presentation ceremony was then held to commemorate the successful completion of the project.

The event was attended by representatives from the Sebang Euisunjae Foundation, four local government officials including Choi Kyunghwa, Director of Gender Equality and Family Affairs of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City, and representatives from all ten beneficiary institutions, totaling 17 participants. Attendees shared the progress and outcomes of the project thus far. A total of approximately 230 million won in funding was invested to refurbish the living environments of the 10 community child centers within Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City.

The foundation’s flagship initiative, “Hope Switch On,” has been ongoing for 19 years since its inception in 2008, the year following the foundation’s establishment. Including this year’s efforts, a cumulative 47 centers in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City have benefited, with around 1 billion won provided overall.

Notably, the Euisunjae Foundation has reflected its founding philosophy of providing hands-on support to those in need by visiting sites directly when operating projects. Rather than selecting beneficiaries solely through document screening, project managers visit the centers in person, examine internal conditions, and confirm necessary improvements before designating and supporting recipients.

During these site visits, any inconveniences or deficiencies identified were reflected in the actual construction work, resulting in customized improvements tailored to each center’s circumstances.

This approach allowed the foundation to identify and address minor inconveniences or areas in need of extra attention that center staff may have overlooked, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the project.

In particular, by focusing not only on one-time monetary or material support, but on improving the environments where children actually spend their time, the project is seen as making a meaningful contribution to addressing gaps in local welfare services.

The recent construction included replacing old and worn wallpaper and flooring, installing custom furniture, and implementing interior upgrades throughout the children’s living spaces. With the conclusion of the plaque presentation ceremony, all construction activities have been brought to completion.

A representative from the Euisunjae Foundation stated, “We have continued ‘Hope Switch On’ with the conviction that transforming the spaces where children spend most of their time each day will also positively impact their daily lives and outlook. Moving forward, we will keep this project as a core initiative for the foundation, ensuring that community child center children can live in safer and more comfortable environments.”

Choi Kyunghwa, Director of Gender Equality and Family Affairs at Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated Metropolitan City, commented, “We express our gratitude to the Sebang Euisunjae Foundation for steadfastly being a reliable support for local children over the years. The city will also make careful efforts to ensure that children can nurture even bigger dreams in these newly refurbished spaces.”

Meanwhile, the Sebang Euisunjae Foundation, established by Honorary Chairman Euisun Lee of Sebang Group for social contribution purposes, is a social welfare corporation. In addition to projects supporting community child center environments and vehicle provision, the foundation continues a variety of social contribution efforts, including battery support for electric wheelchairs for the disabled using Sebang Global Battery’s Rocket Battery, youth self-reliance support projects, and emergency assistance programs. The foundation plans to further expand its support programs in the future to enhance welfare and promote self-reliance among vulnerable groups as part of fulfilling its social responsibility.

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