Today, on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, our AustCham staff joined ANZA Korea for a tour of Myongdo Welfare Center to represent the Joint Chambers 2019 Rugby Charity Dinner. Myongdo’s facilities serve to improve the quality of life for physically and mentally disabled (through natural or situational causes) members of the community down in the Southwestern part of Korea.

Myongdo, meaning “Bright Way” in Korean is run by Sister Geradine Ryan and provides a variety of services, including:

• Basic housing and nutrition for individuals that go without
• Education, vocational skills, physical education, physical therapy, and social integration services
• Practical support for families living disabilities -outreach services for self sufficient individuals and distant communities
• Government partnerships to heighten understanding from the general community for integration and support

During our tour, we visited:

• The main welfare centre, where a broad variety of community based educational and training programs and therapies are offered for children and young adults with a broad range of learning disabilities. Respite care for parents of handicapped children and day care for the profoundly handicapped are also provided
• The sheltered workshop, that included a bakery and washing soap / laundry detergent making factory where people with intellectual and physical disabilities are employed
• The child care centre that provides care and therapies for children with a range of intellectual and physical disabilities

It was inspiring to see the values behind the hard work of Sister Geradine and other staff in striving to (1) create understanding to create communication, and (2) creating value to create worth.

We want to thank Sister Geraldine, ANZA Korea, and the joint Chambers (including the French Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), Kiwi Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the South African Chamber of Commerce in Korea) for this opportunity, as well as all those who donated funds during August’s Seoul Rugby Charity Dinner and enabled us to support the Myongdo Welfare Center.

To find out more about the Center, please visit their website.