THF Asia agrees to start Cares Program for orphans in Kazakhstan

By Seok-jae Kang,
Vice President, Asia Journalists Association 

ALMATY: The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) Asia has agreed in principle with the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation to begin its support program for orphans in Almaty, Kazakhstan starting next year.

Under the so-called “THF Cares Program,” THF Asia, headed by Kang Dae-geun, will support financially two orphanages – Zhastar Uyi and Meyirim – in the city of Almaty.

The agreement was made when THF Asia President Kang visited Almaty on October 13 to meet with Olzhas Besbayev, secretary general of the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation, and Korean Kim Kwang-su, head coach of the national team of the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation.

At the meeting, they also agreed to set up a Kazakh branch office of THF Asia pending the final approval of the THF headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Kazakh national chapter of GCS International, which requires the final approval of GCS International, whose head office is in Seoul, Korea.

“The to-be-created THF Asia Kazakh branch office and the GCS International Kazakhstan Chapter will jointly run the THF-GCS Cares Program for orphans at two orphanages in Almaty starting next year with the financial support of THF Asia,” Kang said.

Kang said Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation Secretary General Besbayev will serve as head of both the THF Asia Kazakh branch and the GCS International Kazakhstan Chapter, while Master Kim will work as vice president of the two organizations. Ms. Akaisha Ospan, international relations manager of the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation, will serve as secretary general of the two bodies.

THF Asia President Kang also serves as a board member of GCS International, which was established in 1979 and played a crucial role in the establishment of the U.N. International Day of Peace in 1981.

“My visit to Kazakhstan is part of THF Asia’s efforts to speed up humanitarian activities in the Asian region,” Kang said. “So far seven Asian countries have agreed in principle to set up their respective branch offices of THF Asia.” The seven are Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Kazakhstan.

THF Asia was established in March 2022 with its headquarters in Seoul, Korea. Its purpose was to help empower refugees and disadvantaged children in the Asian region.

THF Asia will cooperate with the Sri Lanka Taekwondo Federation to jointly organize GCS and THF Asia taekwondo events in December this year.

THF Asia plans to organize a WT-sanctioned THF Asia-GCS taekwondo event in 2024 in Kyrgyzstan. To discuss the matter, Kang visited Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on October 6-11 to attend the 1^st Nomad GCS Cup Taekwondo Championship before leaving for Kazakhstan.

“THF Asia wants to organize as many taekwondo events as possible and wish to support refugees and Cares students to participate in the events, thus giving them hope and dreams,” Kang said.