What does home mean to you?
For many people, home is probably the most comfortable and safest place. It is where we return at the end of the day to rest, surrounded by familiar scents, familiar people, and our own belongings. But for some, that very same home can become the most frightening place. They are hurt by the people they should be able to trust most, and feel fear in the place that should be safest.
Whenever we hear news about child abuse, many people feel anger and sadness. Yet child abuse still continues around us. According to the 2024 Key Statistics on Child Abuse announced by Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, 84.1% of child abuse cases were committed by parents, and 82.9% occurred inside the home.
Children who are rescued after enduring repeated harm at home sometimes arrive at shelters barefoot or still wearing pajamas. They leave so urgently that they are often unable to bring anything with them. And so, they spend a new night in an unfamiliar place.
Angels’ Haven operates temporary shelters for children who have experienced abuse, meeting children in these difficult moments.
Most children who enter the shelter after being reported and protected arrive without even basic daily necessities. When shelter staff visit their homes to collect their belongings, there are often cases where even essential items such as toothbrushes or underwear are not available.
*Temporary shelter: A protective facility for children who have been urgently separated from abusive environments, created to protect children affected by abuse and support their rights and well-being.
After Angels’ Haven began operating a shelter for children affected by abuse in 2025, they started thinking about what kind of help would be most needed for children who suddenly arrive at the shelter. Through this process, they came up with the idea of the “Todak Todak Gift Box,” a care package filled with essential items.
The shelter prepares toiletries, clothing, and daily necessities for the children, but the supply is not always enough. The number of children coming to shelters after experiencing abuse continues to grow.
Many companies and organizations have been extending their support. AROMATICA also joined this effort by donating 300 body washes. But we wanted to take one step further than a simple donation.
That is why, in May, the month of family in Korea, AROMATICA employees visited Angels’ Haven in person.
The Todak Todak Gift Box first began as a small pilot project at the end of 2025. After receiving positive responses from the children, it became a full-scale activity for the first time this May.
AROMATICA employees wanted to take part in this beginning, so we packed the gift boxes ourselves. Each box was prepared as a gift filled with items to help soothe both body and mind, so that children could adjust a little more gently to a new space. As we placed each essential item into the boxes, we imagined the children who would receive them.
Inside the boxes were AROMATICA products chosen with the hope that children could feel even a small sense of comfort in an unfamiliar place.
Children who have experienced abuse often have not received enough care for a long time, or have lived in unstable environments. When situations where they cannot wash properly or take care of their skin are repeated, their skin can easily become dry and sensitive. That is why we carefully considered body care products that children could use comfortably every day.
AROMATICA’s Lavender & Marjoram body care products contain lavender and marjoram essential oils, helping the end of the day feel a little calmer. The soft herbal scent of lavender helps settle a restless mind, while the comforting scent of marjoram, reminiscent of walking through a forest, brings a sense of gentle ease. We prepared them with the hope that, for children spending anxious time in an unfamiliar place, the simple daily act of washing and caring for their skin could become a moment of comfort, even briefly.
A pillow mist was also included. For children who suddenly have to spend the night in an unfamiliar place, falling asleep may feel especially long and difficult. A pillow mist containing lavender essential oil helps create a calmer bedtime atmosphere and supports a more peaceful moment of rest. Lavender scent is also known to be associated with an increase in delta waves during sleep, which are linked to deep sleep. We included it with the hope that the children’s nights could become a little more comfortable.
*Delta waves: Brain waves that appear during deep sleep.
The boxes also included jelly and snacks that children would enjoy, cozy pajamas, and cute plush toys to bring warmth to life at the unfamiliar shelter. Emotion cards and an emotion dictionary were also added so that children could slowly look into and express their feelings.
We hoped that their time at the shelter would not feel only unfamiliar and cold. We prepared each box with the hope that the children could feel even a little reassured, and feel, even for a moment, that they are being cared for.
Above all, the part we spent the most time on was writing handwritten letters.
We thought carefully about what words would not feel burdensome to the children, and what kind of sentence could become a small comfort. We wrote each letter slowly, one word at a time. Messages such as “I am so happy to be able to send you this small gift today,” “You are precious and wonderful just as you are,” and “Please remember that there are always people cheering for you” carried our sincere wish to send quiet encouragement and care to the children.
This activity also became a lasting memory for the employees who participated.
Hyunjin Choi from the HR Team said, “Sharing this meaningful work together made the day feel even warmer.” Choonglim Lee from the CEO Office also shared, “As I prepared the gift boxes while thinking of the children, the time felt even more meaningful.”
Parents should be the people children trust and rely on most. Home should be the safest place. But children who have been hurt there may find it difficult to trust others, and may live with constant anxiety.
Thankfully, however, their hearts are not completely closed. When they meet caring adults for the first time at the shelter and experience warm attention and care, children slowly begin to open their hearts.
This gift box may not create a dramatic change for the children. But perhaps it can help them feel that someone is thinking of them, and that there are safe adults in the world.
We hope that our small gesture can make nights at an unfamiliar shelter feel a little warmer, and become a small source of comfort as the children’s bodies and hearts move toward a healthier daily life again.