Chilgok Ainuri Toy Library Delivers 600 Donated Toys to Village in Laos

Chilgok-gun Ainuri Toy Library announced on the 24th that since December last year, it has delivered over 600 donated toys, as well as clothing and shoes, to Nongsai Village in Laos, thanks to contributions from residents from all walks of life over four rounds.

This initiative aims to inspire dreams and hope in the children of Nongsai Village, where Chilgok-gun is carrying out the Saemaul Globalization Project, through the gift of toys.

Teacher Lee Sejin and six students from Chilgok Buksam High School visited the toy library on the 23rd to deliver toys collected by students and staff and participated in cleaning volunteer work.

For the children in Laos, teenagers donated toys filled with their own memories, while young couples gave away toys cherished by their children.

The donations included not only cars and dolls but also toys featuring iconic Korean characters such as Pororo and Tayo, as well as the currently popular Teeningping toys.

Acts of kindness continue as people from various regions, including Seoul and Busan as well as Chilgok-gun, participate in the toy donation campaign.

Alongside the toy donations, residents also volunteered to help pack and clean toys to be sent to Laos and Africa.

On the 23rd, Lee Sejin, a teacher at BukSam High School in Chilgok, and six students visited the Chilgok-gun Ainuri Toy Library to deliver toys collected by students and staff, and cleaned the toys using grain-fermented alcohol that is safe for humans.

The Saemaul Foundation arranged shipping so the toys could be delivered locally, and supported the effort by sending volunteers to deliver the toys and teach children how to use them.

After the toys sent from Chilgok-gun received an enthusiastic response from the children in Nongsai, the Saemaul Foundation plans to send toys to African countries such as Nigeria as well.

Thanks to the positive influence of Chilgok-gun, other toy libraries in North Gyeongsang Province, such as Yecheon, are also collecting toy donations from residents to send to Africa.

The Chilgok-gun Ainuri Toy Library also plans to send another 400 toys, as well as clothing and shoes, this coming October.

Kim Myungshin, Director of the Chilgok-gun Ainuri Toy Library, said, "I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who participated in the toy donation," and added, "We plan to continue the toy donation campaign for children in developing countries, not just as a one-time event."

Kim Jaeuk, Mayor of Chilgok-gun, stated, "The small flutter of a butterfly's wings, which began as a toy donation in Chilgok-gun, has started to blow like a typhoon in Laos and Africa," and added, "The toys sent to Laos will be a precious gift that brings hope."