The social enterprise Cclim, which started from Enactus, a club that implements practical business projects, has recently marked its sixth anniversary. Cclim leases a safe and lightweight cart, which was internally developed, for free to 433 elderly workers so they can collect waste papers in 42 regions across the nation, and this enterprise has paid a total of 500 million won in wages. The aspiration of Cclim, which was created to improve society, has been maintained by its junior employees, who empathize with this cause.

Cart on Road, Gaining Attention

Cclim leases self-developed lightweight carts for free and attaches advertisements on the carts to help pay the elderly workers for collecting waste papers for the purpose of fostering economic self-reliance. Carts are utilized as advertising channels that can navigate the alleys of neighborhoods. At the early stage of its founding, Cclim began its service with six carts in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, and it has now expanded its service to all over the nation. The enterprise has completed around 100 advertisement campaigns, exceeding 96% of the average renewal rate. This exceptional achievement could be celebrated because of the junior employees, who empathized with the motivation of Cclim and the cause of the founders.

“I have done various volunteer activities, during which I occasionally encountered beneficiaries who were upset that they had only received assistance. I have been grappling with how I can create greater value while helping others. In this respect, Cclim is unique in that the elderly affiliated with our company become the main agents of the business.” - Youngseo Lee, Yeoreum Yoon

Cclim is currently operated by ten team members, including CEO Youngseo Lee. This enterprise directly manages 160 workers residing in Seoul out of about 300 elderly workers who are active under the title of “cclimer” while managing local cclimers through social welfare centers. The team members also visit junkman shops in Seoul several times a week to check if there is any difficulty in pulling the carts and record how cclimers work to deliver the carts to advertisers. 

 “Although manuals were created by our seniors, we are striving not to lose our identity as a ‘venture company.’ We are always exploring if there is a more effective way to promote advertisement campaigns and how we can allow the elderly workers to work in a more accessible way. After six years of being in business, we feel like we are still novel and challenging because we need to decide everything.” - Hyebin Yoon, Joo-hyun Kang

 

What We Obtained from Looking Around, Not Forward

The activities at Cclim have brought many changes to the team members, one of which is that no one they meet on the street feels foreign to them. Unlike the times when they had looked ahead and run from people on the street, they have come to look at everything around them. Their daily routine has become sharing concerns, collaborating in problem-solving, and sharing a dream with the elderly workers collecting waste papers who were never previously part of the team members’ lives. The elderly cclimers are also incredibly proud of themselves because they are reaping profits through their own work rather than solely relying on others` help.

 “There was an elderly person who donated all of his advertising revenue to charity. He said, 'It is hugely enjoyable for me to give help rather than only receiving assistance from others.’ This response was enormously rewarding to us because our job is creating a value essential to our society, beyond profit generation.” - Dahyun Woo, Ju-yong Shin

Cclim has currently exerted efforts to develop a safer and more convenient cart. For this purpose, it conducted a survey of cclimers all over the nation. Cclimer is also planning to expand its business to more regions by facilitating meetups with local cclimers, which have decreased in number due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cclimer`s goal to make a better world is as slow as a cart pulled by the elderly, but it is confidently steadfast despite the challenges it faces.

 “This job, which has viewed and supported people with affection and respect, will be a meaningful and proud memory when I look back on my college life after graduating and getting a job. I will continue to make efforts to realize this hope, succeeding to the cause of my seniors.” - Yujin Shin