The New Life Welfare Foundation has held three concerts since it introduced its 1st New Life Concert in 2000. The Foundation hosted the 3rd New Life Concert on January 27, 2003 to share love and hope with children from low-income families. The 3rd concert was hosted at KBS Open Hall in Busan and sponsored by Busan Metropolitan Government, the Kyunghyang Daily News, and the Child Protection Fund. Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah, Korean and foreign distinguished guests, and the Foundation volunteers—more than 5,000 participants in total—came together to share their heartfelt love with children from low-income households right before the Lunar New Year.
Efforts to Assist Children From Low-Income Families
The New Life Welfare Foundation has been endeavoring to help children from low-income families. On December 4, 2002, the Foundation hosted its 2nd New Life Concert and gathered donations from its members in Seoul, Korea. The proceeds were given to child/adolescent-headed households, single-parent families, and grandparent-headed families. The donations collected through the third concert will be delivered to ten children together with their single parents or grandparents to assist them in their living expenses. The donations will also be presented to children with heart disease to help pay hospital expenses.
To begin the concert, Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah went to the podium and showed her appreciation to the distinguished guests and other participants of the event, wishing them a happy New Year. She hoped that the concert would not only provide financial help to children from low-income families but deliver hope and love to them as well. She also expressed her desire for the Foundation to continue to care for communities throughout the year.
Heartwarming Love Embraces Children From Low-Income Families
“This year is the Year of Sheep. Like sheep who are gentle and pure, let’s make this year overflow with gentle love and pure hope. I wish the New Life Concert to be an opportunity to share love and hope, not just an opportunity to give donations.” Chairwoman of the New Life Welfare Foundation Zahng Gil-jah
The distinguished guests praised the New Life Welfare Foundation’s diverse welfare activities through their congratulatory speeches. During the donation ceremony, Chairwoman Zahng delivered donations containing the members’ love to children from low-income families. While everyone else was enjoying the New Year, she wanted to ensure the children from low-income families who might be marginalized due to illness or economic hardship had an unforgettable experience through this heartwarming gesture.
The second part of the concert began with an orchestra performance. Famous traditional Korean musicians such as the leader of the first gayageum (string instrument) section at National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts Chae Seong-hui, and a jeongga (traditional music genre) singer Jo Il-ha, put on high-level performances. The New Life Children’s Choir captivated the audience with cute performances. The concert ended with ardent performances of singers Kim Gyu-min, Kim Jae-hun, Yoo Yeol, and Noh Sa-yeon. The audience responded with a loud round of applause after each performance, being moved by the messages of love and hope.
Love and Care for Neighbors Going Through Difficult Times
Unlike the first and second concerts that were held at the end of the year, the third concert was held before the Lunar New Year. Through the concert, the Foundation comforted children from low-income families as well as the members of the community who felt lonely before the national holiday. The organization hoped that the New Life Concert would bring attention to communities in need.
During the wintertime, people who are feeling alienated due to their lack of welfare services need love and care above all else. The New Life Welfare Foundation started the New Year meaningfully by helping such people. The Foundation plans to continue helping children with heart or other incurable diseases, older adults who live alone, people suffering from disasters, as well as children from low-income families.
