Korea’s oil refiner S-Oil provided 100 million won ($89,000) of financial help for Ethiopian children in need as part of its program to support the underprivileged, the company said Tuesday.

The donation will be used for constructing and repairing classrooms and purchasing livestock for a school in Beritene town in the Enemorena Ener district where 120,000 students attend, it said. 

Raising livestock ensures the school can yield sustainable profits by selling the milk and raising the number of livestock, officials explained.

Since last year, the company has offered support for children living in the district to improve their educational rights through World Vision.

“(The company) hopes that its support for the educational infrastructure in Ethiopia helps children grow as the future leaders of the country,” said S-Oil CEO Othman Al-Ghamdi.

The company is running a wide range of corporate social responsibility programs in various fields, including welfare, environment and community services.

S-Oil decided to provide support for Ethiopia as part of its moves to express gratitude to the country for the military support provided during the Korean War, the company said.

Ethiopia is the only African country that dispatched military forces during the Korean War. Of the some 6,000 soldiers dispatched, 121 died in battle and 536 were injured.

By Lee Hyun-jeong  (rene@heraldcorp.com)