Health and hope start with a home
In 2004, Jungbae and his family opened the door to a better future by moving into a home of their own. Over 20 years later, in 2026, we asked him about the changes in his life and his family’s life. “We still live in the same house. My second daughter came here when she was 10, and she’s already 32. The difference is that I’m living a happier life! A cute dog is also spending happier days in this house.”
Jungbae is a civic police volunteer. Together with his wife and his younger daughter, they live in Cheonan city, South Chungcheong province, South Korea.
He could recall the days of living in a run-down rental place where he was constantly worried. Each month, he paid about 300,000 Korean won (equivalent to US$204 at April 2026 rate) for the room in Pyeongtaek City, about 70 kilometers south of the capital city of Seoul. Back then, his family was glad they had a place to stay. But they did not feel safe. There was also a lack of public transportation.
Housing challenges
Jungbae shared about some of the challenges. “At that time, it was not a good environment for young children to live in. I was most worried about health problems. I remember being very uncomfortable because there was a lot of mold at home. The children also had problems commuting to school.”
The heating often broke down in their old home, making winter even colder. It was also hot and humid in summer. “I was in poor health; so I couldn’t work much. I didn’t have enough money so I only made minimal repairs.
“The house was quite isolated and not very secure, so there were many days when I couldn’t concentrate on my work, worrying about my family at home,” he added.
Then his wife Gunae came across a notice in the local newspapers while she was looking at job recruitment advertisements. They learned that Habitat for Humanity Korea’s affiliate was looking to partner with families in need of decent housing. “At that time, we were truly desperate, and we felt a sense of hope. We decided to apply so we could live warmer, happier lives.”
Jungbae (second from left) with (from left) his younger daughter Hayeon, wife Gunae, and older daughter Jiyeon, at their new home in 2004. Photos courtesy of Jungbae.
Bird’s eye view of the multiplexes in the Village of Hope (bottom right). Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Korea.
In 2002, his family was among 16 families who took part in a weeklong blitz build organized by Habitat Korea. They partnered with local volunteers to construct their new homes. As Jungbae was not in good health, his wife Gunae worked alongside the volunteers, contributing almost 500 hours of her labor. A total of four buildings — each with four housing units — were built. Their community is known as the Village of Hope following a naming contest.
A healthy home sparks wider change
Jungbae used to suffer from severe asthma. He said in a 2018 interview: “After living in this house, my asthma is almost gone now. This village is located at the foot of a mountain and the temperature is three to four degrees lower than Cheonan city. There is a lot of snow in winter but the air is clean and good.”
Two decades on, he feels just as comfortable in his 51-square-meter home. “It’s cool in summer, and warm in winter.” His family spends most of their time in the living room, talking and eating together. “I feel happy because this is a home where I could stay comfortably and safely.”
There are also other positive changes. “My health improved a lot. I worked and ate delicious food more often. I was grateful that my children could go to a nearby school.”
As Jungbae became healthier, he started volunteering as a civic police officer. He continues to contribute to his community till today. Other than the civic police, he is part of the Saemaul Leaders’ Association and volunteers with the local fire brigade.
Habitat for Humanity’s Asia-Pacific meta-evaluation study in end-2025 showed safe, secure homes not only improved physical living conditions but also unlocked pathways to health, education and economic opportunities. More stable living environments were often associated with a greater sense of safety, peace of mind, and dignity. The meta-evaluation synthesized findings from 34 project evaluations conducted between 2016 and 2023 across nine countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
When asked about the future, Jungbae said, “My hope is for my family to stay healthy, for my children to marry good partners and live happy lives, and for my spouse and me to grow old happily in this home.”
He added, “I will try to live a life where I can share happiness with people through volunteer work that I can do.” Reflecting his wish, he wrote:
The original web story in Korean can be read here.
Learn more about how Habitat Korea brings people together to address the housing need.
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