Helping people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Korea Energy (KOEN) through its subsidiary Mira Power Limited started developing Kotli- Gulpur Hydro Power Project in 2013, which will start production 2019. Following its legacy of helping local community; KOEN initiated practical work of renovation of Government Boys High School Barali, Kotli under the umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In this respect a group of 33 volunteers from KOEN (Korean Energy Co.) visited Barali, District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir on April 25-26, 2016 and performed various cultural, sports and building renovation activities in the school. The renovation work included painting of walls, installation of solar lamps, establishing setup of sports activities in school ground, installation of white boards in all classrooms and flooring & plastering the newly constructed block of the school.
The volunteers also organized an interactive activity to exchange cultures and sports of both nations, Korean and Kashmiri. The students found it very interesting to interact with the Korean volunteers and to teach them about their culture. The volunteers also played different sports with the students and taught them about popular Korean sports. On April 26, a friendly volley ball match was also played between the Korean volunteers’ team and a local team consisted of youth from Barali community. Both the teams were very excited to play match.
At the end of the two-day volunteering activity, a closing event was organized where the volunteers and the school representatives shared their experiences about the activities. Colorful part of the event was Korean and Kashmiri cultural performances by the students and the Korean volunteers. A grant in form of academic materials including books, stationery and school bags for seventy students was announced and other sports items were handed over to the school administration. Another cash grant of PKR 400,000 (Pak Rupees Four hundred thousand) from KOEN was also announced for the school. The Head Master of the school thanked KOEN and the volunteers for their support and shared that this two-day activity has provided the students with a very good exposure and an opportunity to learn about the world, especially about the concept of volunteering and community development. Both KOEN and Mira Power Limited representatives encored that the social work for a social uplift of local community in vicinity of Gulpur Hydro Power Project will be carried out with full zeal and zest under the banner of CSR component and we believe that local community is an important stakeholder and partner of project.
