Opening of 'Eobuldo Community Childcare Room' in Ttangkkeut Village, Haenam-gun

Mutual Aid Care and Program Operation

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] On the 25th, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do announced the opening of the ‘Eobul Village Shared Childcare Room’ on Eobuldo Island in Songji-myeon.

Eobuldo is the only inhabited island among the 14 islands of Songji-myeon, the land’s end village, and is the largest island in Haenam with 109 households and 232 residents.

It is a 5-minute distance by land and boat, and children attend elementary school on the mainland using a ferry.

In particular, children aged 3 to 5 attend the Eoranjin Elementary School branch kindergarten located on Eobuldo, but there has been difficulty in childcare due to the absence of a daycare center for children under 3 years old. There are 33 preschool children from 19 households on Eobuldo.

The shared childcare room was established by promptly accepting residents’ suggestions made through the ‘Mobile County Governor’s Office Field Talk’ in 2020, remodeling an unused senior citizens’ center with a county budget of 117 million KRW.

Although the childcare room is a small space of 77㎡, it consists of three rooms tailored to different age groups: a toddler room, a middle room, and an elementary room. It is equipped with various toys, books, kitchen appliances, and furniture. Parents on Eobuldo plan to conduct various programs with their children as well as cooperative childcare.

At the opening ceremony, County Governor Myeong Hyun-gwan said, “With the opening of the shared childcare room, a safe and high-quality childcare space has been established for island residents who have had difficulties in child care. As this facility reflects the active will of Eobuldo residents, I hope it will be used as a warm community facility.”