In the winter of 2009, Shin Hye volunteered in Tapatali in Nepal with non-profit organization Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI). The trip changed her life.
Loaded with stationary goodies like pencils and notebooks, items to improve education, and gifts for the Nepalian kids, Park Shin Hye boarded her plane to Nepal. Upon arrival, her heart fell when she saw the grim living circumstances...
When Shin Hye visited this boy’s home, she learned about his wish to build a wall to protect his family from strong wind. Shinhye started working with crew members to start building this wall.
She also witnessed children breaking stones with hammers in their hand for a living. To these children, Christmas has nothing to do with them. Shin Hye dressed up in a Santa Claus costume to decorate the kids´ very first Christmas tree together, giving them a special memory of Christmas gift.
Shin Hye continued her heartwarming labor by visiting a quarry to help out the children who worked day and night to shatter the boulders with hammers as their only source of money.
When she returned home to Korea, Shin Hye told the media,“Looking at the smiles of the children who live in such difficult situation, I wanted to spread more love so I joined this volunteering project. But I felt sorry about that because I felt I have received more love.”
It has been two years, but the children of the Himalayan valley of Nepal have never left Shin Hye's mind.
"When I first decided to volunteer in Nepal, I aimed at fulfilling my work to give warmth and love to the people there. I just wanted to do a good job. But since my return to Korea, the grim image of the Nepalese children holding hammers has never left my mind." she says.
"Children should be in school. They should be holding pencils and books in their hands learning reading and writing. Why are they holding hammers instead? Small children working in dangerous stone quarries mining stones to make a living - just the thought of it, is so wrong and heartbreaking."
"I want to make a change," To the Nepalese children whom Shin Hye feels indebted to, Shin Hye feels the need to put them on the path of education. Therefore, she is thinking of donating storybooks to the children with KFHI.
"Ladies and gentleman, I sincerely ask you to join me in this project." By logging into DAUM and donating to the campaign, netizens worldwide can join Shin Hye in this meaningful project to bring education to children in Nepal.
"It will be a great joy to see the Nepalese children reading books with happiness. Don't you think? Let's do this together. Thank you^^" - Park Shin Hye
How to Donate:
(*only for foreigners with Citibank credit cards. they do not accept other foreign cards)
Step 1) Sign up for a Daum account. Tutorial here: http://daum.net/FOREIGNERS_signup/
Step 2) Visit this link: http://daum.net/donatetoNEPAL/parkshinhye/
Click on the blue donation button
Click on the blue donation button
Step 3) Fill in the fields
Step 4) Choose the bank
Step 5) Verify and Pay.
