Opening of Suncheon City Jeonnam Center on the 2nd
Supporting a total of 16,760 youth preparing for independence
[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Samsung announced on the 2nd that it held the opening ceremony of the 10th 'Samsung Hope Didimdol' Jeonnam Center in Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do.
The opening ceremony was attended by about 50 people, including Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, Seo Dong-wook, Chairman of Jeollanam-do Council, Noh Kwan-gyu, Mayor of Suncheon, Kim Byung-jun, Chairman of Community Chest of Korea, Ko Geum-ran, Acting Director of Child Rights Protection Agency, Kim Mi-ja, President of Jeollanam-do Child Welfare Association, and Park Seung-hee, President of Samsung Electronics CR Division.
The Jeonnam Center supports about 350 youths annually with self-reliance experiences and educational activities. It has 15 self-reliance living rooms and 3 self-reliance experience rooms. Self-reliant youths can live in a single room for up to two years. The center is operated by the Jeollanam-do Child Welfare Association. Youths aged 15 to 18, who have aged out of protection, stay in the experience rooms for several days. Through one-on-one intensive counseling, they receive life skills such as cooking, economic education, career counseling, and job placement assistance.
Samsung Hope Didimdol is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity involving Samsung, the Community Chest of Korea, and local governments. Since opening the Busan Center in 2016, 16,760 people have been supported at 10 centers over seven years until last year. It started with ideas and donations totaling 25 billion KRW from Samsung Electronics employees on the 20th anniversary of the 'Samsung New Management' declaration in 2013. The company added another 25 billion KRW in support funds in 2019. The name was also created by employees.
Samsung encourages employees to choose their preferred donation recipients within the company's CSR projects and pledge donations. Samsung Hope Didimdol was the most selected. Employee talent donation activities are also active. Thirty employees operated mentor groups at the Gangwon, Gyeonggi, and Chungnam Centers. This year, the program plans to expand to youths residing in centers nationwide.
Chairman Kim Byung-jun said, "We support the youths who will create their dreams at the Jeonnam Center and will do our best to help them become stable and self-reliant members of society." President Park Seung-hee said, "We will support the center together with all employees so that it becomes a stepping stone for youths preparing for independence to enter society and a channel where the community's love gathers."
Samsung plans to open the Chungbuk Center in Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, in November. The company also plans to expand the centers further.
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