Here is the story of the sixth official project of POSCO’s college volunteer group, “Beyond”. Let’s take a look.
[box]
POSCO’s University Volunteer Group, “Beyond” has been successfully and actively taking part in an altruistic “Habitat” movement since 2007. Every season starts with 100 university volunteer students who are carefully selected out of 50 universities through 1:10 competition rate, and the team lasts for 12 months in total. Currently, “Beyond” is in midst of its sixth season. As the name, “Beyond” suggests, the aim of the group is to excel further and greater as to grow as Korea’s future leaders with charitable spirits in mind, and ultimately as global leaders. Beyond’s main projects include building/restoring homes for the homeless community, raise awareness on the importance of proper housing support and various types of fun and meaningful fund raisers both in Korea and abroad (India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, etc.). Through the activities in Beyond, students learn the value of friendship, neighborhood, community, and hard work.[/box]
“Beyond” the Builder
From 12th to 20th of last July, “Beyond” and “Habitat for Humanity Korea” initiated a volunteer trip to Chuncheon, located to the north of Seoul, for three nights four days. It was a mission to build houses, where 100 “Beyonders” were divided into groups, each responsible for different tasks such as; working on sidings, rooftops, setting up scaffolds and placing housing exterior walls. It was a chance to appreciate the various architectural processes involved in building houses.
First, ‘Siding’ is a building’s exterior skin material, which completes the exteriors of the house. During the process, there were moments when lines were often crocked and overall measurements were incorrect. However, the rooftop worked itself to be a charmer, partly due to the beautiful scenery of the surroundings from the work area. Lumbers are placed on a truss where eventually it becomes the roof’s frame. The entire project could go wrong by spacing just one lumber differently. The Beyonders’ legs shook in relief after returning to land after a long day’s work on such high rooftop.
Another task was working with something called, a ‘Scaffold,’ which is a temporary foothold structure that supports the entire operation. At first, there were some worries considering the lack of experience in handling scaffolds from the Beyonders. However, the on-site director encouraged them with advices and kind words, and they were able to finish the job successfully.
It was unfamiliar experience for many Beyonders, but they’ve managed to complete their housing project by eagerly learning on site. Filled with passion, dedication, soaking sweat and heat, the experience of those four nights was something unforgettable to the Beyonders. Every summer, the sound of construction sites and their continuous hammering will remind them of this valuable memory.
Beyonders go global this Feb.
After the hard volunteer work with the construction, all the Beyonders’ hearts filled with warmth more than ever. Where spirit floods in passion, “Beyond” will work continuously long after that summer has gone. But our mission isn’t completed yet for this year! This February the Sixth official Beyonders group is departing to India on a volunteer trip. Again, their task is to build houses in supporting developing communities. Be alert about the next activities of “Beyond”, which you’ll be able to find here at Hello POSCO. See You Soon!