Home > HYUNDAI cares > Korea > Social Welfare > One Company and One Rural Village Campaign
May 25, 2005
inauguration ceremony for the Agricultural Community Involvement campaign between the Agricultural Union and HMC.
Aug. 25, 2005
beginning with the affiliation ceremony with Wolu Ri, Hongcheon Gun, Gangwon Do, HMC has formed sister affiliations with various local communities.
Oct. 13, 2005
"Mutual Prosperity Fair", attended by the President of South Korea, five major economic organizations, Agricultural Union, and other groups.
Currently includes 66 affiliate villages
Agricultural villages are in dire need of labor, as young people have emigrated to urban areas, leaving the elderly behind.
The issue becomes especially visible during busy agricultural seasons of rice-planting and harvesting, as the elderly populations in the villages are often unable to plant and harvest as much as they need.
The Voluntary Services Corps of HMC visit the sixty-six affiliate villages throughout the country during these busy seasons in order to help with the agricultural tasks. Although these volunteers are often not used to perform agricultural practices and may make mistakes, they know how rewarding such experiences can be with the passion of the rural villagers.
Villagers often find it difficult to sell their products, which they have grown with sweat and hard work, due to insufficiency of marketing activities and sales channels.
HMC supplies the products of the affiliate villages to the employees' cafeteria and encourages employee volunteers to purchase them in order to help villagers increase their incomes.
The Voluntary Services Corps also lists sales and product information on the computer networks frequently visited by employees in the after-sales departments of HMC so that more and more employees can purchase these goods.
HMC organizes various activities for the residents of the affiliate villages to enjoy healthier lives and more convenience.
The volunteers repair houses and other buildings in the villages and bring acupuncturists and herbal medicine practioners for diagnosis and prescription, helping the village residents to enjoy better lives.
The volunteers also repair the villagers' vehicles and replace various wearable parts and oils for free. They also build welfare halls for healthier and easier living.
The elderly residents in rural villages often feel lonely, as their children move away from their homes into urban areas. Recreational and leisure activities are, thus, vital to a healthier life in these rural areas.
We invite the residents of our affiliate villages to our production facilities so that they can watch and experience the auto making process, which has been compared to the "flower of manufacturing" in Korea. The trip allows the residents to understand the input of HMC in the national economy through communication with the employees at the company.
We also hold various feasts for the Parents' Day, New Year's Day Eve, and other occasions of celebration for the whole villages and In help the residents travel to various tourist attractions in help the residents on trip around famous tourist attractions in an effort to promote mutual understanding and friendship.
The affiliation with the villages allow the employees and their families who are used to living in urban areas to experience the rural life.
Employees and their families of HMC, who have had so little contact with the rural regions of Korea, are encouraged to take active part in such agricultural activities as rice-planting, wrapping grapes, and erecting rice straws in the affiliate villages. Learning about and understanding nature and vegetation, the participating members come to appreciate the farmers' efforts for producing food, which further solidifies friendship and cooperation between the company and the villages.
Nothing is more refreshing for urbanites tired of modern life than a day's visit to the rural villages.
The Voluntary Service Corps of HMC have invaluable experiences and lots of fun in working with the villagers, breathing fresh air and enjoying clear water.
Voluntary services in the affiliated villages also provide opportunities for employees' children to experience the rural life in nature by taking part in various agricultural activities.
Voluntary services in the affiliated villages also satisfy the HMC employees' demand for an experience of more diverse and meaningful voluntary services, as the program allows the employee participants to utilize their different abilities and skills.
The Voluntary Service Corp, comprised of experts trained and experienced in the leading auto company of Korea, repair the residents' vehicles free of charge, while also helping them repair houses and buildings.
The services also allow the employee participants to consolidate friendships and understanding with one another.
Finding good and healthy food has become a major issue in today's world increasingly aware of the importance of personal well-being. The organic food planted and raised on the Korean soil that the affiliated villages provide also keeps the employee participants in the voluntary services healthy.
HMC supplies the agricultural products from its affiliated villages to the employee cafeterias, while helping the company employees purchase these agricultural products directly from the farmers.
