When considering how to help people living in poverty-stricken areas, providing basic essentials like food, clothing and shelter often comes to mind. District 355A Lions in Busan Metropolitan City looked beyond the basics to determine how to support the residents of a local “Jjokbang” village — by helping them do their laundry.
Lions are grateful for LCIF’s support and could not be prouder of the impact they are making in this community.
“Jjokbang” is a type of residence approximately six square meters in size that houses one or two people. Each unit consists of one small room divided into several smaller spaces. There is no bathroom or kitchen and no laundry facilities nearby.
For the working poor who work long hours to make ends meet and the elderly who can’t take on the physical burden, washing clothes and linens by hand or hauling them to a laundromat are simply not viable options. In many instances, the lack of access to laundry facilities forces individuals to go without fundamental necessities.
LCIF Grant Empowers Lions to Provide Laundry Service
District 355A Lions came up with a plan to purchase a mobile laundry unit to improve conditions for residents and support Saemaul, a local nonprofit organization that has been serving vulnerable populations for more than 40 years in South Korea. But they couldn’t do it on their own. They turned to Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and applied for a grant.
Mobile Laundry Unit
Seeing great promise in the plan and collaboration with Saemaul, LCIF awarded District 355A a Matching Grant of US$55,638. The Lions used the funds to purchase a 3.5-ton truck customized as a mobile laundry unit, complete with commercial-grade washing machines and dryers. They chose to go with a smaller truck because the alleys in Busan are very small. With the help of Lion volunteers, Saemaul staff members operate the unit five times per week to provide the basic hygiene service of washing and drying garments and bedding for the residents. Lions are grateful for LCIF’s support and could not be prouder of the impact they are making in this community.
About LCIF Grants
There are a wide variety of grants available to help Lions serve their local communities and the world. We encourage you to explore the different grant types to find out which grant is right for your club, district or multiple districts, now or in the future. Millions of people throughout the world lack access to items and services that many of us take for granted. Through matching grant projects, communities gain access to education, technology, health care, safe places for children to play and many other life-changing improvements. Matching grants help identify what a community needs most and make it a reality.
Learn more about LCIF Matching grants.
