Saturday ’ s dinner of pizza and fried chicken was far from an ordinary evening meal for the residents of Angel House . “ On weekdays they only have kimchi , rice and water because they are really poor , ” said volunteer coordinator Kiki Fastino . “ They are always waiting until Saturday and Sunday because that is when they get nice cooking . ” Fastino and her band of volunteers visit to help cook , clean and socialize with the 45 residents of the home for disabled people the first Saturday of every month . The 10 , 000 won donated by each volunteer goes some way to buying food for the Saturday meal , with any leftover cash going to supplement Angel House ’ s meager budget . Fastino also saves her own cash to buy gifts and extras for the residents at the Goyangdong house in western Seoul . Though often called an orphanage , it is more a community , with members aged from one year old to 70 years old , all with some form of mental or physical disability . Founder Jang Soon - ok started the Angel House on October 1993 . She grew up as a virtual orphan herself , abandoned by her own parents because of her disability . She started the home as a sanctuary for her son and daughter as well as any other disabled people who wanted to stay . Now they are living at full capacity , looking after each other and earning money toward their 12 million won monthly budget along with the support of several charitable organizations . Two of the children living in the building attached to a church attend school , and the adults work making simple household goods to earn money towards the upkeep of the house . They are catered for by two cooks . Fastino , who is half Italian , half Burmese , was introduced to the home by a Scottish friend in 2009 , when she was going through a tough time in her personal life . “ My mom had just passed away that October and I didn ’ t want to do anything . I volunteered here and began to feel a little better , ” said Fastino , who has lived in Korea for 13 years , becoming a Korean citizen and running an English language hagwon . “ I have been coming here for three years and the people here are like my family . They have no parents but when I see them I am like their mom or sister . ” Fastino knows the harsher side of institutional life , having grown up in an English orphanage when her mother could not afford to support her through school . “ I was in an orphanage for eight years in Kent , ” she said . “ I was living in the Catholic Church but now I am not a Christian because they treated me badly . “ But I believe Angel House is a very good place . I come here every month to help them and to make myself happy , too . “ I believe that if I do a good thing then the good energy is going to my mom . “ And Paula Morgan , the Scot who built up before leaving Korea the solid group of volunteers that Kiki has sustained over the last three years , said : “ Angel House was absolutely one of the best things I have ever been involved in . It was such a pleasure to spend time with the residents , and I looked forward to going there every month . ” Volunteer Jay Park , a carbon energy consultant from Seoul , echoed the sentiment saying : “ I don ’ t come here to help the residents , I come here to help myself . “ People might say that I come here to help , but actually I am selfish . I want to change my condition . Not just working , going to a club , being hung over . “ If you do only fun things you can ’ t satisfy yourself , I think you need to focus on other parts of life too . If you do this kind of thing , you can find satisfaction in your life . I try to come every time they need people to help because it is just 0 . 08 percent of my time every month . ” The house ’ s founder Kim was awarded an MBC Good Korean Award in 2000 , for setting up the countryside sanctuary for disabled people like her , often left with nowhere else to go . “ I wanted to bring all disabled people together here at Angel House , ” she said . “ I am happy here . Sometimes things are a little difficult but I am happy . ” The house is in need of money and many basic goods to keep running well . Those wishing to learn more can search for the Facebook group “ Volunteering at Angel House Orphanage . ” Fastino will lead the next volunteer trip to the house on Oct . 1 , with the group meeting at 1 : 30 pm at Younsinae Subway Station Exit 3 . By Kirsty Taylor ( kirstyt @ heraldm . com )