Jimmy Carter Work Project Heads to Korea in 2001

Eun Jung, 7, and Mi Jung Lee, 5, are among the children housed to date by HFH Korea. The organization looks forward to building more than 100 houses during next year's Jimmy Carter Work Project.

The Jimmy Carter Work Project once again travels beyond the borders of the United States. HFH Korea plans to host the 18th JCWP Aug. 5–11. The Republic of Korea’s President Kim Dae-jung, an honorary member of HFH Korea, is expected to work alongside former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, volunteers and homeowners, as will former Philippines’ President Corazon Aquino. It will be only the fifth time JCWP has traveled beyond American borders. Previous international JCWPs include: Mexico (1990); Canada (1993); Hungary (1996); and the Philippines (1999).

“Habitat’s [presence with the JCWP] will allow many people to own a home for the first time ever in Korea,” says Dr. Kunmo Chung, a member of HFHI’s board of directors and chairman of HFH Korea. “Only some Koreans know about Habitat now, but after President Carter comes to the country, everyone will know about Habitat. People respect him tremendously because they believe his peacemaking prevented another Korean War.”

Plans for JCWP 2001 in Korea include the building of 120 houses at six locations throughout the peninsula. Several thousand volunteers are expected from Korea and other countries.

The JCWP coincides with HFHI’s first “World Leaders Build.” While Jimmy Carter and Kim Dae-jung lead the JCWP in Korea, other world leaders are invited to build that week in many of the countries where HFHI is working. Heads of state and heads of government are being personally invited by President Carter to take up their tools to build Habitat houses in their respective countries.

For information on participating in either of these projects, call (800) HABITAT; for the WLB, dial ext. 2549; for the JCWP in Korea, ext. 2272.


--Tilly Grey





Reprinted from Habitat World Magazine, December 2000/January 2001.
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©2000 Habitat for Humanity International