Busan University of Foreign Studies Volunteers in the Philippines Building Homes of Love for 14 Years

The Busan University of Foreign Studies Overseas Volunteer Group carried out volunteer activities to improve the living conditions in a slum by building five new houses and creating community facilities in the Philippines.

The volunteer group, consisting of a total of 36 students, visited the Mangyan tribe village in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Philippines, from July 3rd for 11 days and 10 nights to engage in house-building volunteer work.

The Busan University of Foreign Studies Overseas Volunteer Group and the Mangyan tribe villagers are taking a group commemorative photo.

The students worked alongside local carpenters in harsh conditions with humidity exceeding 90%, numerous ant nests, earthworms, and various insects. They carried building materials themselves and constructed pillars, walls, and floors using palm trees and bamboo, completing the new houses with locally sourced tin roofs.

In the evenings, they conducted various educational activities for children at the village hall, such as drawing and singing, and distributed clothing, shoes, daily necessities, and school supplies prepared in Korea to each household.

Mr. Alfredo, who received a new house through this volunteer activity, said, “Although I am married, I lived uncomfortably with my parents because I did not have enough money to buy a house. I am very grateful to the Busan University of Foreign Studies volunteer group for helping me get a new home.” He added, “I will work even harder to build a happy family.”

The Busan University of Foreign Studies Love House Building volunteer activity, which began in 2007 in the Balara slum on the outskirts of Manila, Philippines, has gifted new homes to about 80 households over 14 years and has also built community facilities such as kindergartens, restrooms, and shower rooms.

As a result of these efforts, in 2021, the university was selected by the Philippine government as a hub university for the promotion of Philippine studies and receives approximately 100 million KRW in research funding annually.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.