A thank-you message received one day
I received a text message Wadiz.
“Hello, CEO! I’m writing to thank Wadizfor something that happened recently. (Omitted) I’d really like to come see you in person to express my gratitude.”
Shop with Wadizin 2021
It was Kim Ji-hwan, CEO of "Dad's Arms," who led the Hwagongheon Project. The gist of the message is as follows.
It’s amazing that our project helped build a sense of solidarity and that we won the case!
I wonder what happened during that time?
*Dad's Embrace: The Korean Association for Support of Single-Father Families provides assistance to single-parent families in need.
The Launch of Our Social Contribution Project
In March 2021, an in-house CSR task force was formed through the voluntary participation Wadizto create a ripple of positive change ‘Wadiz(wa)’was launched. Wadiz, which supports the launch and growth of startups and small brands, sought to shed light on the welfare blind spots around us where help is needed and to provide support through ‘funding,’ the method we excel at .
After thinking long and hard about where a funding method with the power to reach a wide audience was needed most, we decided to raise awareness about the challenges faced by single-father households. This is how a thank-you message Wadizreceived one day began.
Wadiz Social Contribution Task Force Wadiz(wa)
👉 Behind the Scenes Wadizthe Wadiz Social Contribution Task Force (Link)
What's happening to single fathers and their children?
Article 46, Paragraph 2 of the Family Relations Registration Act stipulates that the mother must register the birth of a child born out of wedlock. For the father to register the birth, he must go through a legal proceeding. As a result, there are countless children of unmarried fathers in our society who do not officially exist in the eyes of the law. This is partly due to practical issues such as legal fees.
In 2015, the Family Relations Registration Act was enacted. Unlike before, when a lawsuit to register a birth was only possible if the mother’s name and resident registration number were known, fathers (biological fathers) can now file such lawsuits by proving their biological relationship through DNA testing or other means. However, loopholes remain. This is because they still have to prove that they cannot obtain the mother’s information. Children of unmarried fathers still have to file a lawsuit to register their birth. (Related Articles)
Source: [Wadiz] What if crowdfunding could help create a better world?
A Step Forward in Our Social Contribution Project
To create a world where children of unmarried fathers can easily register their births and enjoy their rights without discrimination, Kim Ji-hwan, CEO of "Dad’s Arms" and an unmarried father himself, and the Wadiz Social Contribution Task Force, Wadiz, have launched a crowdfunding project. After eight months of hard work, they have gathered 242 supporters and raised approximately 10 million won. The funds raised from the project will be used to support five children in filing lawsuits for birth registration.
Wadiz Social Contribution Project [Wadiz]: What if we could create a better world through crowdfunding?
While the practical assistance provided through the lawsuit was significant, WadizCEO Kim Ji-hwan actually had a different goal in mind for the crowdfunding campaign.
‘Social Awareness’
Since crowdfunding relies on public support to reach its goals, we thought that if the story reached many people, it would gain support and become a topic of public discussion. After all, to solve the root of the problem, we all need to empathize with it.
Our hopes have come to fruition.
A law that prevents birth registration without the biological mother? Unconstitutional!
In March 2023, two years after the successful funding campaign, Article 46, Paragraph 2 of the Family Relations Registration Act—which stipulates that only a biological mother can register a child’s birth—was ruled unconstitutional. This outcome resulted from a constitutional appeal filed with the Constitutional Court in August 2021 by CEO Kim Ji-hwan while he was preparing a social contribution project.
Thanks to this achievement, I had the opportunity to meet CEO Kim Ji-hwan once again. He visited Wadizto express his gratitude and share some news with Wadiz, the Social Contribution Task Force, and our supporters!
CEO Kim Ji-hwan of "Dad's Arms" Visits Wadiz
“I’m more grateful Wadizthan to most media outlets. That’s why I prepared this plaque of appreciation!” – Kim Ji-hwan, CEO of Dad’s Embrace
What the Social Contribution Project Did
What does the Wadiz social contribution project reveal? A look at the court ruling gives us an idea of its impact.
Unlike previous interpretations, which focused on the person obligated to register a birth, this ruling identified the “child” as the key stakeholder. The fact that the subject has been reinterpreted signifies a shift in the discourse. CEO Kim Ji-hwan remarked that social contribution projects had a significant influence on the formation of this discourse.
During the litigation process, CEO Kim Ji-hwan reportedly compiled materials from the time of the crowdfunding project and submitted them to the court. While constitutional appeals typically take three years from filing to ruling, this appeal was ruled unconstitutional in less than two years. Perhaps this is because many people empathize with the situation faced by children of unmarried fathers, and the court recognized this as a social issue that needs to be addressed?
A message of thanks from Sarang’s dad
Finally, we would like to share a message of gratitude from CEO Kim Ji-hwan. 💌
“Our supporters aren’t just people who read articles or watch the news and pass on the information—they’re people who took direct action. Word of their participation in the crowdfunding campaign spread to their friends and acquaintances, and that news spread further… I believe that’s how public opinion was formed, spreading out like a spider’s web. So more than just the large amount raised through the campaign, a sense of shared understanding.
Wadiz all, Wadiz feel a sense of fulfillment.”
Wadiz CEOs Shin Hye-seong and Kim Ji-hwan, and the Wadiz Social Contribution Task Force
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