Lotte Members Delivers Braille Books via Video Call for Visually Impaired Children
Blockchain-Based Easy Donation System Established
Shinsegae Duty Free Employees Pack 'Home Meal Kits'
Handwritten Letters Included...Adding More Meaning
[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), new-concept volunteering and donations incorporating contactless (untact) technology are increasing. By holding virtual handover ceremonies, large gatherings are prevented, reducing the possibility of mutual infection while ensuring the original purpose is not compromised.
According to the related industry on the 23rd, Lotte Members held a virtual handover ceremony for the 'Point Publisher Campaign' on the 22nd and remotely delivered about 2,700 braille books for visually impaired children to the National Seoul School for the Blind and the Korea Braille Library. Braille books and braille label books will be sent to 14 special schools for the visually impaired nationwide, the Korea Braille Library, and visually impaired children attending general schools.
Now in its ninth year, the Point Publisher Campaign is a Creating Shared Value (CSV) activity that produces and donates braille books for the visually impaired using points donated by L.Point members. So far, about 17,000 books worth 480 million KRW have been delivered. Earlier in July, Lotte Members signed a business agreement with Eponet, the operator of the blockchain-based donation platform Cherry, to link both platforms and apply a simple donation system, fostering a more convenient donation culture.
Kim Dong-bok, director of the Korea Braille Library, explained, “The proportion of braille books among new publications this year is 0.2%, and their price is about five times that of general books. Unlike the general public, visually impaired people find it difficult to access braille in daily life or own personal books, and many tend to forget braille after graduating from school, so support for books is even more necessary.”
Jeon Hyung-sik, CEO of Lotte Members, said, “Since this campaign has been carried out for a long time with the hearts of 40 million L.Point members, we intend to continue it despite the COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn. In the future, we are also considering options such as allowing willing employees to participate in manual braille book-making volunteer activities during telecommuting periods.”
Shinsegae Duty Free signed an untact volunteering-related agreement on the 22nd with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Small and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the Kicox Venture Center in Guro-dong, Seoul, to support residents in Gangseo-gu, Busan, who suffered typhoon damage. The number of participants on-site was minimized in accordance with social distancing quarantine rules due to COVID-19.
This donation was made through company matching funds raised by the ‘Hope Delivery Campaign,’ a salary-sharing program voluntarily participated in monthly by Shinsegae DF employees. Additionally, employees were responsible for packaging 500 ‘Home Meal Shinsegae Kits’ in an untact volunteer activity. The Home Meal Shinsegae Kits consisted of Shinsegae Food’s home meal replacements (HMR) and meal kits, considering the difficulties caused by flood recovery work and the Chuseok holiday period. Handwritten encouragement letters were also delivered to add meaning.
A Shinsegae Duty Free representative said, “This year has been difficult in many ways, but it is precisely at times like this that we must come together and overcome. We hope this small support will reach the farmers in Busan who suffered flood damage.”
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