China’s Huamin Charity Foundation has donated $600,000 to the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation ©WTF

China’s Huamin Charity Foundation has donated $600,000 (£470,000/€558,000) to the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) in an effort to establish taekwondo academies for child refugees.

The money will be used to establish purpose-built taekwondo facilities in Jordan, Rwanda and Ethiopia over the next three years.

From those funds, three academies are expected to be built and they will be run by the WTF and its associated charity initiative, the Switzerland-based THF.

Lu Dezhi, chairman of the Beijing-based Huamin Charity Foundation, flew to Seoul in South Korea to sign the donation contract at the headquarters of the WTF with the governing body's President, Chungwon Choue, yesterday.

On December 5, Lu delivered a special lecture at the Kyung Hee University Suwon Campus under the title “Donation Culture and Global Co-existence Strategy in the 21st Century”.

He expressed his pleasure at working with President Choue in the charitable activities of the THF.

Lu also promised that the Huamin Charity Foundation will continue to cooperate for this cause based on China’s principle of streategic co-existence.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Chairman Lu, a true philanthropist,” said WTF and THF President Choue.

“His donation will be well spent, helping to empower some of the most powerless people on earth: refugee children.”

The THF, which was established in April 2016, aims to empower refugee children by teaching them the sport and martial art of taekwondo.

Lu Dezhi (Right), chairman of the Huamin Charity Foundation, signed the donation contract alongside WTF President Chungwon Choue (left) ©WTF
Lu Dezhi (Right), chairman of the Huamin Charity Foundation, signed the donation contract alongside WTF President Chungwon Choue (left) ©WTF

As one of the most economical and easily accessible sports on earth it is ideal for refugees.

“Taekwondo teaches physical fitness, self-defence, self-confidence and self-belief and is a gift that, once given, cannot be taken away," added Choue.

"It can be practiced by anyone at any time and any place.

“Alongside taekwondo, we also teach classes on Olympism and global citizenship using a bespoke ‘edutainment’ syllabus designed for us by academics at Belgium’s Leuven University.”

The WTF and THF are already operating a taekwondo academy in the Azraq camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan while the Huamin funds will be used to build a purpose-built taekwondo academy.

Following that, another facility is scheduled to be constructed in both Rwanda and Ethiopia.