On June 15, the Community Chest of Korea announced that the public school classroom construction project in Zambia, Africa, funded by SEVENTEEN's HOSHI's donation, has been successfully completed, providing a new educational environment for approximately 250 local children.
This global educational environment improvement project was funded by a donation of 100 million won that HOSHI delivered through the Gyeonggi Northern branch of the Community Chest of Korea last year. The beneficiary public school in Zambia has about 250 students enrolled from kindergarten to seventh grade. However, with only two classrooms available, multiple grades had to share a single space for combined classes, resulting in extremely poor learning conditions.
Through HOSHI's warm generosity, five classrooms across two buildings and hygienic restroom facilities were newly constructed at the school, and renovations on the existing aging facilities were also completed. As a result, local students who previously struggled with a lack of space can now focus on their studies in a much more spacious and comfortable environment.
In addition, support was extended to a child welfare facility located in Kitwe, a city in northern Zambia. Detailed assistance was provided in various ways to improve the children's actual living conditions, including repairing deteriorated parts of the facility and fully supporting electrical work.
Upon hearing the news of the classrooms' completion, HOSHI shared, "I joined this effort hoping that children can learn and grow in a better environment. I am very happy thinking about the children who will nurture their dreams in the new classrooms, and I want to continue showing interest in places that need help in the future."
HOSHI, who joined the Community Chest of Korea's 'Honor Society'—a club for high-value individual donors—in 2021, has been setting an exemplary standard by consistently practicing philanthropy both domestically and internationally. Following his donation of 100 million won in 2024 to build a national orphanage school in Laos, he also donated to the Army's 'Sacrifice for the Nation, Love Among Comrades' fund this past May. In addition, he continues to spread the true value of positive influence through various social contribution activities, such as delivering donations to his alma mater and younger students in his hometown, donating books to the Lee Seok-young New Media Library, and donating coal briquettes during the winter to neighbors in need.
Meanwhile, HOSHI enlisted in September of last year and is currently serving on active duty in the Army.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)