Hanwha Group, Free Distribution of Braille Calendars for the Visually Impaired for 24 Years

Hanwha Group will produce and distribute free Braille calendars for the visually impaired in 2024.

The Braille calendar is Hanwha Group’s representative social contribution activity that has continued for 24 years. It began when Chairman Kim Seung-yeon read an email from a visually impaired person asking for help in 2000 and suggested, "Let’s make it possible for the visually impaired to share the joy of welcoming the New Year."

Hanwha executives and employees and staff from Braille Publishing are smiling brightly while holding the completed Braille calendar. (Photo by Hanwha Group)

The Braille calendars produced this time total 40,000 copies, consisting of 30,000 desk calendars and 10,000 wall calendars. Including the 2024 Braille calendar, the cumulative number of copies issued reaches 920,000, the largest scale in Korea.

Unlike regular calendars printed by machines, the Braille calendar undergoes most processes manually to minimize damage to the Braille dots. After Braille printing, the calendars go through an inspection process to check if any Braille dots are missing, and all processes of aligning the monthly printed calendars and binding them require human hands. Hanwha Group employees gathered at the Braille Publishing House on the 13th to produce the Braille calendars.

A Hanwha Group official said, "I had only seen the calendars distributed by the company every year, but this was my first time participating directly in the Braille calendar production site. It was very rewarding and joyful to know that we helped bring the joy of welcoming the New Year to the visually impaired."

The Braille calendars will be sent to applicants by December. Applications will be accepted on the Hanwha Group Volunteer Corps online website or at the Braille Calendar Office from the 16th until November 10.

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