Korea Zinc volunteers to make communication boards for children with speech disabilities

Korea Zinc said Monday that its employees had volunteered to make AAC communication boards — a rehabilitation teaching aid for children with speech disabilities. The Purme Foundation, which supports children with disabilities and young adults with developmental disabilities, took part for the third consecutive year.

The volunteer session, titled "AAC Communication Board Making for Children with Disabilities by Korea Zinc and Affiliate Employees," was held Friday at a multipurpose room at Korea Zinc's headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul. More than 10 people attended, including employees from Korea Zinc and its affiliates — Axis IT, KG Trading and KZ Precision — as well as Purme Foundation staff.

AAC, short for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, refers to the use of supplementary and alternative communication tools to help children with disabilities improve their ability to communicate. Each completed AAC communication board features more than 100 picture cards printed with images and text that children with disabilities can easily understand.

Employees worked in pairs during the session. They began by cutting and attaching velcro strips to fit the size of a binder and foamex board to form the communication panel. They then cut out more than 100 printed picture cards with scissors, laminated them and trimmed all sharp corners. Finally, they attached velcro to the back of each card and fixed them onto the panel, completing the AAC communication board.

Employees also wrote message cards with words of encouragement for the children. The AAC communication boards and message cards — handmade by employees over two hours — are to be delivered to the Purme Children's Development and Rehabilitation Center, which operates under the Purme Foundation.

"We are grateful that the communication aids our employees made by hand can offer even a small measure of help in the rehabilitation of children with disabilities," a Korea Zinc official said. "We will continue to provide diverse support so that children with disabilities and young adults with developmental disabilities can grow and become independent members of our society."

This year marks Korea Zinc's third year sponsoring programs through the Purme Foundation to support the independence and rehabilitation of young adults with developmental disabilities and children with disabilities. Employees also plan to volunteer next month at a cherry tomato smart farm where young adults with developmental disabilities work.

Meanwhile, employees at Korea Zinc's Onsan Smelter recently joined staff from Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency for a marine environment protection volunteer activity at Pyeongdong Beach in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, as part of the company's ongoing social contribution efforts across a range of areas.