Actress Choi Ji-woo: 'I Was Happy While Helping Others'

Star actress Choi Ji-woo participated in charity work in Africa and a program entitled "Choi Ji-woo Stands on the Dark Land" aired on April 13 at 12:20 am on MBC TV to show her activities in Africa.

The program covered what she did in Swaziland. Choi Ji-woo visited the Madlangamphisi region in Swaziland where the international relief organization World Vision has been helping to develop the area, and implemented a hand pump by herself. Also, she taught children about sanitation and hygiene using animation.

Choi Ji-woo communicated with children by playing music using an MP3 player and made puffed maize with corn, which is the staple food of the region.

Choi Ji-woo said, "By sharing, I could feel happy again. Even though there are some children who are suffering from childhood obesity in other parts of the world, some other children are suffering from food shortages and even cannot drink clean water in other parts of the world, like here in Swaziland. I hope more people realize this situation and are able to feel happy by helping others".

She continued to say, "I had agonized over the entire long journey here about what I could do, but, instead, I learned many things while I was watching the children and people who live here".

Swaziland, which is the second smallest country in Africa, has been blessed with a wonderful natural environment and has even been called the "Switzerland of Africa", but the death rate of people who are under 40 years old has reached nearly 48 percent due to serious drinking water pollution.

A spokesperson of World Vision said, "Through the hand pump that Choi Ji-woo installed with other inhabitants of the village, more than 500 people can finally drink clean water".