South Korea Sponsorship Facts PDF Print E-mail
Bethany's International Sponsorship program in South Korea began in 1982 with Holt Il San Center. The residents of Holt Il San have disabilities in varying degrees; some residents are severely disabled, while others are able to perform tasks around the center or work off campus. Most residents are older and live their entire lives at the center. Few residents are available for adoption. International Sponsorship support improves the quality of life for the residents of Holt Il San Center.

Image 1The residents participate in activities, such as sledding camp in the winter, Special Olympics events, and a choir called "Voices of Soul" that travels around the world for their performances. They learn skills, such as beading, woodwork, and other skills that allow them to create products that they then sell at the market. The residents are able to keep some of the money for themselves for recreation, such as going out for dinner, going to a movie, or going shopping. The rest of the money goes back into Holt Il San.

Residents who are able to do so are expected to perform chores. They help with the laundry, preparing meals, setting and clearing dining tables, making their beds, keeping their rooms clean, etc. They raise chickens for eggs and are responsible for feeding the chickens and other small animals in the animal farm (for animal therapy). They also grow their own vegetables and do the weeding and watering (for farm therapy).

Holt Il San Center also has an internship program in which volunteers from around the world come to work with the residents for a year or more at a time. These volunteers perform physical, occupational, and speech therapy. They take the residents for walks and outings and help them grow vegetables and care for the animals.

Because of the severity of the residents' disabilities, this is the only one of Bethany's International Sponsorship programs in which a sponsor can maintain a long-term relationship with his or her sponsored child.

Thank you for considering sponsorship in South Korea.