On March 23, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) club from Seoul International School (SIS) hosted its annual talent show at SIS. Fourteen groups showed off their talents through singing, dancing, and drum battle performances. Many of the performers were students and faculty members from SIS. However, students from Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, a private school located in Yongin, Korea, came and performed a special performance for the audience.
 

The UNICEF club run by the SIS students themselves also held a raffle contest, where audience members were able to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win various prizes such as an iPad, free coupons to a Western restaurant near school, a backpack, earphones, or signed albums from K-Pop groups. Many students, parents, and faculty members from SIS came to the talent show to support the talented performers.

 

The talent show was a huge success and the money raised from the tickets sold all went to a good cause. Every winter, the SIS based UNICEF club goes to Cambodia to help impoverished children by delivering donated clothes and donated books. They also teach English to those children. However, the main objective of these trips is to build “dream houses”, homes that UNICEF builds with money raised in Korea with events like bake sales, talent shows, fashion shows, and more. The money raised during the talent show will be used to help build those homes in Cambodia the next time UNICEF visits.

 

Terrance Lee, president of the UNICEF, said “The goal for our talent show was to raise money for our dream house projects in Cambodia. We currently have four dream homes that serve as homes for families in those local communities, but we are still working to build as many as we can. Another goal of the talent show was to raise awareness about the problems children in Cambodia face. They don’t have access to basic necessities like food, water, clothes, and shelter. As we host these events, more and more people will become aware of the dire situations those children face so that we can help them live better lives.”

 

The talent show raised over $1500 dollars for the club, which serves as a huge bonus to the club’s total savings account. “As each dream house costs about $3000 ~ $4000, it looks like we will be able to build more dream homes in Cambodia next winter.” said Sung Park, vice-president of UNICEF.

 

UNICEF continues to spread awareness and inspire others to achieve their overarching goal of benefiting the lives of others around the world. Sung Park said “It’s important for me to use what I’ve been fortunate enough to receive to help those in need. That’s the only reason why I joined this club. It’s to simply help others.”

 

With projects like the talent show, UNICEF will continue to raise the funds needed to build homes and to donate food, books, and clothes to those who need them in Cambodia. They continue to plan and develop new ideas for new ways to raise awareness about problems that some unfortunate people face.

 

 

Justin Jeong-Yui Lee

Junior

Seoul International School