This past October, CCF President and CEO Anne Goddard and  ChildFund Korea President and CEO, Dr. Suk San Kim, joined together for the ChildFund Alliance International Fundraising Forum held in Korea.

It was here that the bond between all ChildFund Alliance members could be seen most clearly. Working together as one global force for children has allowed these organizations to reach far beyond their expectations and existing borders to support families around the world living in poverty.

Dr. Kim’s connection with CCF did not begin with his appointment as President and CEO of ChildFund Korea, also known as the Korea Welfare Foundation (KWF). Rather, it began many years ago. Kim is a former CCF sponsored child.

“Initially, our home was not affiliated with any of the foreign aid agencies,” said Kim.

“But I vividly remember the first Christmas after our home became a CCF project. On Christmas day, our Mother called all of us to a big room to unpack our Christmas gift boxes from our American or Canadian sponsors.”

With help from CCF, Kim was able to attend and graduate college. One month prior to graduation, he passed the exam to become a temporary translator for the then field office, CCF Korea.

He worked his way through CCF Korea in a number of positions within the Substitution and Communications Department, including Director of Planning, where he helped link children with sponsors around the world.

He also was instrumental in helping transform CCF Korea from a field office into an indigenous Korean social welfare organization, independent of CCF.

“The experience I accumulated working for CCF was immensely useful in developing this program,” said Kim.

As a member of the ChildFund Alliance, not only do ties, support and principles run deep between CCF and KWF, but the organization also has extended its programs well beyond Korean borders. Now, the social welfare of children and their families in Sri Lanka, Uganda and Ethiopia, is also a priority of KWF.

“I have a dream,” said Kim.

“That is to make KWF the most reliable, transparent, distinguished, outstanding and loving social welfare organization in Korea as well as internationally. I think that in this way I can give back for all that I have received.”

“In order to repay what CCF has done for me and our organization, I will do my best to reach out our hands of support to the world’s children.”