IVI Launches Children Public Health and Philanthropic Educational Program, ‘KiKi Program’

[Press Release]

2014.09.03

IVI Launches Children Public Health and Philanthropic Educational Program, ‘KiKi Program’

l  KiKi program centers around kids helping kids in developing countries

From left to right: John Morahan (Acting Director General, IVI), Actor Lee Bum Soo (IVI Goodwill Ambassador), his daughter Soul and his wife Lee Yoon-jin, Prof. Cho Wan-kyoo (Executive Advisor, Korea Support Committee for IVI), and Choi Eun-young (Chairperson,Yanghyun Foundation)

Seoul, September 3, 2014 — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), an international organization based in Seoul, launched the ‘Kids Help Kids (KiKi) program—an educational philanthropic program centering around promoting public health practices such as hand washing, hygiene and immunization — organized by IVI and supported by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Yanghyun Foundation. The program was unveiled today at the IVI headquarters at Seoul National University (SNU) Research Park.

Approximately 40 people were present at the opening ceremony including officials from the Yanghyun Foundation, the Ministry of Education, and Hansol Education. IVI’s Acting Director General John Morahan and the Yanghyun Foundation’s chief director Choi Eun-young were also present. Actor and IVI Goodwill Ambassador, Lee Beom-soo, and his daughter, So-ul, attended the event and introduced the KiKi promotional video.

IVI’s ‘KiKi Program,’ which educates children in Korea on how infectious diseases are transmitted and how they can be prevented , was designed to cultivate international civic awareness and instill the philanthropic culture by helping children suffering from infectious diseases in developing countries with their savings. 

The program is designed for Korean children between 5 to 12 years of age and is composed of two main components. The first component of the program includes science educational videos, where children can see the spread of germs and viruses from hand to hand and how they can be prevented through measures such as hand washing and immunization. The second component of the program is designed to allow children to experience the philanthropic culture from early childhood as a world citizen and includes activities such as coloring and ‘Make Your Own KiKi Piggy Bank’. In addition, ‘KiKi Program Donation Certificates’ are given to children who donate their savings collected in their own KiKi piggy bank. The funds collected from the second part of the program are used for IVI’s vaccine R&D and for supplies of vaccines against cholera and typhoid, thereby saving the lives of many children around the world.

IVI developed the program and related materials over a period of 6 months and plans to provide a training session for teachers from public and private kindergartens, day-care centers, and elementary schools that are affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Hansol Education’s childcare business group, and others. The training program will take place in Seoul until the end of this year and expand nationwide from 2015. In addition, university student volunteers majoring in childhood education will participate in this program/campaign to implement the ‘KiKi Program.’

“IVI has made great strides in promoting the importance of vaccines and improving the health of citizens, especially those in developing countries, via the use of vaccines,” said John Morahan, Acting Director General at IVI. “We hope the community will join in our efforts to create a world where children are free from infectious diseases by promoting the importance of hygiene and immunization among Korean children through the KiKi Program, and allowing them to help their peers suffering from infectious diseases in developing countries.”

As the first international organization hosted by the Korean government, IVI has been supporting vaccine R&D for developing countries with active support from the MoE and hopes to contribute to inspiring a sense of pride among children in the host country, South Korea, and in fostering global civic awareness, through the successful development and deployment of the KiKi Program.

“We are pleased to participate in the KiKi Program and look forward to its success,” said Choi Eun-young, the chief director or Yanghyun organization—the Kiki Program’s primary sponsor. “The Yanghyun organization will provide support in improving the health of children in developing countries in partnership with IVI.”

Media Contact:

Tae Kyung Byun

Public Awareness/Advocacy Officer, IVI

Phone: +82-2-872-2801 (Ext. 159)     

Mobile: +82-11-9773-6071

Email: tkbyun@ivi.int

Burson-Marstellar Korea contact:

A Young Jang

Phone: +82-2-3782-6465

Mobile: +82-10-3596-2440

Email: Ayoung.Jang 

Nicolle Kuritsky

Burson-Marsteller Korea

Phone: +82-2-3782-6460

Email: nicolle.kuritsky@bm.com