The Agricultural Counsellor at the Dutch embassy in Seoul has visited the Purme foundation and learned about an extraordinary project. The foundation introduces the Dutch concept and advanced technology to build a greenhouse for young people with developmental disabilities to work.
A year ago, one couple operating a farm in Yeoju, province Gyeonggi, donated 11,800m2 of their farmland to the Purme Foundation with a value of over 3 billion won (2.2million Euro) . The only condition for the donation by this couple, who have a son with developmental disabilities, was to create a safe and better environment for other young people with similar disabilities and build a smart farm where they could come and farm using their hands.
To provide a smart farm greenhouse where people with developmental disabilities can work in a safer environment, the foundation aims to introduce a high-tech greenhouse to grow tomatoes, strawberries, mushrooms, and integrate the Netherlands’ care-farm programme in its facilities. Besides crop cultivation and care-farm, it is also planning to create various businesses and new employment through operating restaurants, shops, and space rental. The project has begun construction in September this year to completion in 2021, and the foundation plans to have the full-scale operation of all facilities by 2022.
The Purme Foundation, established in 2005, is a non-profit organization that supports the independence and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
