Korea Welfare Foundation for the Visually Handicapped LOGO

The first welfare center for the visually handicapped in Korea established in 1982 by the Korea Welfare Foundation for the Visually Handicapped,
a social welfare foundation.

* Establishment and Current status
  - Date of Establishment: October 15, 1981
  - Head of the Center: Nam Shik, Baek
  - Responsible Organization: The Korea Welfare Foundation for the Visually Handicapped, a social welfare foundation
  - Current Number of Employees: 51

* Facilities
  - Size of land: 5,426㎡ Building area: 3,940㎡

▶ Our Mission
     The Realization of the happy world and sharing of light, hope and courage with the visually handicapped.

▶ Vision
     Becomes a welfare center that can act as a stepping-stone for rehabilitation of the visually handicapped.

▶ Core Values
     Expertise, Change, Passion

▶ Core Objectives
     - Reinforces specialized services in order to support the rehabilitation of the visually handicapped
     - Provides remarkable services to develop talents and aptitudes of individuals
     - Develops an environment to create hope with the community
     - Cultivates practical expertise with a warm heart and competence
     - Expands the scope of pleasant services to let the visually handicapped realize healthiness of their lives

▶ CI

     Carries the dream of encouraging the visually handicapped to return to the society as model citizens by overcoming their disabilities with the
     light, hope and courage.

▶Character
“Laoni”, the name of the mascot of the Korea Welfare Center for the Visually Handicapped
was coined by combining the English word, “lion”, which signifies “courage” with the pure
Korean word, “Laon”, which means “merry”.
It conveys our wish that we will become a welfare center that provides the courage of
independence to the visually handicapped and serves as a platform for sharing happiness
between the handicapped and the nonhandicapped.

* Hours of Operation
   9:00~18:00 on weekdays (closed on holidays) / 9:00~15:00 on Saturdays

March 1982	Started before the initiatives including the Braille News Messenger, braille publications, instruments for living, and the like were carried out by the Foundation on March 1982 Launched the initiative to publish the audio books for the visually handicapped Launched the basic rehabilitation training for the visually handicapped Designed and manufactured the instruments for living for the visually handicapped
November 1982	Published the braille version of Korean Dictionary
May 10, 1983	Obtained a license of the Braille Library and began borrowing the braille version of books and audio books
September 1983	Published the first “Voice Magazine”, a monthly audio magazine
October 1984	Launched vocational rehabilitation trainings for piano tuners, telephone operators and factory operatives of the Welfare Factory for the visually handicapped
January 1988	Launched a swimming program for the visually handicapped at the Godeok Social Sports Center
January 1989	Launched a visiting rehabilitation and counseling programs for the visually handicapped staying at home
December 1990	Launched the White Cane Short-term Pedestrian Training for those who attend the school for the blind and the institutions for the blind
January 1991	Launched the initiatives for an exhibition & sales facility dedicated to instruments for living for the visually handicapped
October 1992	Developed the KOMA, a braille writer to recognize locations
January 1993	Launched initiatives for braille translation using computers
September 1999	Opened the Information Processing Training Center for the Visually Handicapped
January 2004	Opened an online voice library, “Voice Book” (http://sori.or.kr)
December 2007	Developed the antenna-type white canes
September 2009	Launched the initiatives to support activities for the handicapped
January 2012	Managed the Welfare Service Center for the handicapped staying at home
January 2014	Launched the Learning Support Center for the Visually Handicapped