SUWON UNWED MOTHER'S HOME

Monday the Merton's and I headed to Seoul to pick-up Dr. Cho and then we headed down to Suwon. We took a tour of Holt's "Goun-ddeul" (Graceful Garden).  It's a home for pregnant unmarried women.  If a Korean women becomes pregnant and isn't married, often times her entire family will turn their back on her.

 
The facility was completed in December of 2006, at a total cost of $1.2 billion Won.  It's a 3 story building with a basement.

The underground floor:  Is used as an auditorium and playroom.

The first floor is for the Holt Day Care Center:  It has several classrooms, one office, one kitchen and one warehouse. When we were taking the tour of the building it was time for the 2-year-olds to have nap time!

The second floor:  Is for the function of Holt's counseling offices, an education room, a medical unit, and a kitchen/cafeteria.

The third floor:  Is designed for the function of the shelter itself.  It has 10 dormitory rooms, a library/lounge, laundry room and 10 bathrooms. 

This is a typical room that three mother's would share.  There are 5 rooms on the left for expecting mother's, and 5 rooms on the right for mother's that have already given birth.

Unmarried women are eligible to stay at the shelter (at no cost to them) if they are pregnant and are in need of post-delivery care.  They are allowed to stay for six months after giving birth.  While staying at this facility, they are given vocational training - education guidance (to further their education - high school or college), cultural guidance (etiquette, pottery making, knitting, paper folding), counseling, health care education, and mentoring.