Teach North Korean Refugees

Welcome to the University of Alabama Executive MBA fundraiser for Teaching North Korean Refugees (TNKR)! We’d like to thank you for visiting and tell you a little bit about why we are here.

During our international immersion we were introduced to two young ladies that escaped from North Korea. Listening to their stories was a very powerful and moving experience for all of us. On the lighthearted side we were told tales of them watching American movies in secret (Home Alone and Charlie’s Angels). They also told us, as you might expect, about the hardships they faced in North Korea and what it was like growing up in a country where their education system lied to them daily.

However, what really surprised us was when they told us about the difficulties and the traumas they have encountered after they escaped. While getting out of North Korea was good, we were unable to imagine the difficulties they experienced after… We don’t want to go into their personal details, but it involved indentured servitude, physical and emotional trauma. No eyes were left dry.

Thankfully, these ladies and many others have since connected with TNKR. In a very short amount of time, TNKR taught them English as well as many other life skills needed to survive in the free world. TNKR works and gives tirelessly so the refugees can make new lives with their freedom; a freedom that many of us were blessed with at birth.

Please open your hearts and your wallets to support TNKR as they continue helping North Korean refugees!

We also have an exciting announcement! All funds that are donated will be matched by a private donor!

In 2020, one of TNKR's main goals will be engaging with North Korean refugees seeking employment and education opportunities.

As part of the initiative, TNKR hopes to hire North Korean refugees as interns in our office. We will offer refugees 500,000 won a month to intern with us.

Some of the students in TNKR have offered to intern for free or for miniumum amounts, as thanks, but we think it will be more meaningful for them and more of a commitment if they were paid at least a minimum amount.

You can help by becoming a monthly donor to this project. The more money we raise, the more interns we can employ (although three would probably be the maxiumum at any given time).

In addition to monthly donors, any donations could help this project.

A lot of you often have asked me how you can help the situation in North Korea. So this is the chance where you can make that difference. TNKR gives voices to North Korea defectors to share their stories internationally by teaching them English for free. This is really a tip of iceberg of what they are doing. The founders of TNKR and the volunteers that I met showed me an unconditional care and that gave me a confidence that we can free North Koreans if we know what is going on.

I hope we do something positive to show that people are still kind and we still have hope in this world. I am eternally grateful for all your support and please give any little amount you can or just share with your friends. You could become an individual donor to help TNKR become a sustainable organization or donating once is fine too.

Give. Educate. Learn.

TEACH NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES is a project and book club started to help people - refugees. And while it is for helping people, you'll also be having a little bit of fun doing it, that is, if you're into books.

By donating you'll get to be a part of a book drawing when we have a book club discussion - a chance to win a signed copy of a book written by a North Korean refugee.

Books such as:

English
* Dear Leader by Jang Jin-sung
* A Thousand Miles from Freedom by Eunsun Kim
* Every Falling Star by Sungju Lee
* In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
* Under the Same Sky by Joseph Kim
* The Aquariums of Pyongyang

Korean
* Sunhee by Lee Ju Song
3층 서기실의 암호 by 태영호 (Thae Yong-ho)

And what's more? You even have a say over the book you would like to win by - emailing Casey Lartigue CJL@ alumni.harvard.edu to let him know which book you would like when you win.

Give. Educate. Learn.

To find more resources about North Korea, check the archive that TNKR is compiling.
http://teachnorthkoreanrefugees.org/2018/01/tnkr-resource-list/

KOTESOL (Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) is excited to collaborate with Teach North Korean Refugees at the 2020 Online KOTESOL National Conference and through this fundraising project.

KOTESOL, or Korea TESOL, is a not-for-profit organization with the motto “teachers helping teachers”. By partnering with TNKR we are able to not only to act on our motto, we get to help support the amazing work that TNKR does for its students. Please consider contributing to this fundraiser, and learn more about TNKR and the work they do by joining us at the free Online 2020 KOTESOL National Conference at http://kotesolconf.com

TNKR’s co-founders Casey Lartigue and Eunkoo Lee, and TNKR Representative Yuna Jung, are invited speakers at the 2020 Online KOTESOL National Conference. On April 25th, they will give a virtual presentation about their organization and the invaluable services they provide. https://kotesolconf.com/speakers/featured/TNKR

Donors who contribute to this project and attend the free Online KOTESOL National Conference on 4/25 will be entered into a raffle drawing for prizes that include gift certificates to Butlers Korea, and the Mac&PC Guys. (Winners need to reside in Korea in order to receive raffle prizes. Winners announced after the conference.)

#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. It’s a day when we can all come together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are.

You can support TNKR this #GivingTuesdayNow with a monthly or one-time donation.

To celebrate the new decade, I am starting a TNKR fundraiser all the way from Boston, MA. With a new year comes new dreams, new goals, and new perspectives. I hope to reign in the new year (and new decade) by raising $10k as a cheers to TNKR's future and all the good work the organization has done already.

--Edward Kyungjun Mun

Eleven North Korean refugees have set up fundraisers supporting TNKR. It is incredible because many of them had no concept of civil society before joining our organization. After studying with volunteers, many of them say they hope to volunteer one day.

Some of them even take that next step--fundraising for TNKR!

Who are the eleven? They include published authors, public speakers, human rights activists, YouTubers, and low-profile students who all speak out on behalf of TNKR.

Harvard alumni have recently begun discussing how to support the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education.

September 5th!!! It is the birthday of TNKR Co-founder Casey Lartigue Jr!! 

9월 5일은 TNKR의 공동대표,  케이시 대표님의 생일 입니다!!  

Mr. Casey is an American now living and working in South Korea. Instead of working as a researcher or commentator in the USA, he has been working directly with North Korean refugees for 7 years. Even though he isn't Korean, he established TNKR in 2013 along with Eunkoo Lee. Behind-the-scenes, he counsels, mentors and sponsors North Korean refugees.

TNKR 케이시 대표님은 한국에서 거주하며 일하고 계시는 미국인 대표 입니다. 미국에서 충분한 월급을 받을 수 있는 연구자 혹은 애널리스트의 삶보다는  한국에서 탈북민들의 영어공부를 돕는 삶을 살고 있습니다. 그리고 2013년 이은구 대표님과 함께  TNKR을 세우는 등 7여년간 탈북민을 위해서 일하고 있습니다.
 외국인임에도 불구하고, 탈북민들의 교육, 자유를 위해 끊임없는 열정을 가지고 있으며,  때로는 탈북민들의 상담자로, 멘토로 혹은 후원자로 함께하고 있습니다. 

We asked Mr. Casey how we could celebrate his birthday this year. We aren't surprised when he said: "A fundraiser for TNKR. All gifts for me, except expensive cars, can be donated to TNKR."
올해 케이시 대표님께 어떻게 생일을 축하하면 좋을지 여쭤봤습니다. 너무나 당연하다는듯이,  생일축하는 TNKR을 위한 후원모금으로 하자고 이야기하였습니다.  

Together, let's make a great fundraiser for TNKR, to honor Mr. Casey's great work. No contribution to this goal is too small, and we appreciate any help in supporting TNKR to continue working with North Korean Refugees. 
케이시 대표님의 생일을 함께 축하하고자 하는 모든 분들은 TNKR의 모금활동에 참여해주세요! 모금된 후원금은 앞으로 TNKR 발전을 위해 쓰일 것 입니다.

Please watch these testimonials from TNKR volunteers, staffers, fans, donors and, of course, North Korean refugee students wishing Mr. Casey a Happy Birthday!
후원을 통해서  케이시 대표님의 생일을 축하해주세요!
이 영상에서는 TNKR스텝, 봉사자,  후원자, 그리고 학생들의 생일 축하 메세지를 볼 수 있습니다.

Happy Birthday to Casey Lartigue, co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center!
https://give.lovetnkr.com/en/casey-bday

Testimonials from: Yeonmi Park, Jang Jin-Sung, Ken Eom, Cherie Yang, Kang Nara, Eunhee Park, Sharon, Yuna Jung, Jade Kim, Chanyang, Hwang In-Cheol, John Schuldt, Youngmin Kwon, Georgene Zaydell, Injae Lee, Eben Appleton, Janice Kim, Park Eunjung and Lee Jungbin, Daniel, Han Minyoung, Joo Yeon, and TNKR staff.

I was an ordinary person who loved to watch baseball, movies and sometimes loved to go shopping when I felt stress from my job. People don't believe it, but I'm really shy and preferred being behind-the-scenes.

Then much to my surprise, I became the co-founder of TNKR.

It was like a new world for me.

I have met so many nice people. For the first time, I have had to be a leader, not just a team member. I am really thankful to Casey Lartigue for helping me develop leadership skills. When we first started, I offered to be the assistant director, and he would be the director. But he refused, and he even fired me until I was ready to be a leader, to be co-director of TNKR. And it worked!

I have met so many nice volunteer teachers. I have enjoyed building TNKR with people who tries to help us.

Although I had worked with North Korean refugees in other jobs, for the first time, I could see them extremely motivated to take charge of their own lives. We developed a process where they had to take responsibility for their own learning, not just follow.

TNKR has changed my life! I have become a more active person. Instead of doing just enough to keep my job, I am now co-founder and co-director of a program that does something practical to help others!

Setting up this fundraiser is another challenge for me. I have never been a public person.

Because of TNKR, I have the confidence to give this a try! I hope that TNKR will one day become a larger organization that can help others. Every day, refugees call me to thank TNKR staff and teachers, to let me know that it has changed them. I want them to know that it has also changed me. Together, we can keep making a difference in the lives of others, and ourselves.

저는 영화보는 것을 좋아하는, 야구보는것을 좋아하는 그리고 하는일 때문에 스트레스를 받으면 종종 쇼핑도 즐기는 아주 평범한 사람이였습니다. 또한, 나서기보다는 뒤에서 일하는 소심한 사람이기도 하였습니다.

이런 사람이었던 제가 TNKR의 공동대표가 되어 현재 이 일을 하고 있습니다.
TNKR은 저를 바꾸는 계기였습니다.

저는 TNKR을 통해 아주 멋진 사람들을 만났습니다. 먼저는 함께 공동대표로 함께 하고 있는 Casey 입니다. 사실 제가 리더로 준비되어 있지 않았을 때도 기다려주며, 저의 부족한점을 채워주었습니다. 또한, 리더로서 포기하려 할때도 격려해주었습니다
(종종 의견대립이 있기는 하지만요^^)

그리고 TNKR를 통해 멋진 자원봉사들을 만났고, TNKR를 성장하도록 돕는 많은 분들을도 만났습니다.

그리고, TNKR의 자원봉사선생님들, 또한 열심히 공부하는 탈북민들을 만날때면, 보람을 느끼게 됩니다.

TNKR 은 저의 인생을 참 많이 바꾸어 놓았습니다.

좀더 자신감있는 사람으로, 실제적으로 누군가를 돕는 사람으로 바꾸어 놓았습니다! 그리고 이렇게 제 생일을 위한 후원페이지까지 개설할 수 있는 용기까지 생겼습니다.

그러나, TNKR을 안정적인 단체로 키우는 것은 저에게 또다른 도전입니다. 저는 일주일에 적어도 한통이상의 전화, 문자, 카톡메시지를 탈북민들에게 받습니다. 그 분들은 모두 영어공부를 하기 원하기 때문입니다. TNKR 이 저의 인생에 의미 있는 변화를 가져온 것 처럼 TNKR이 탈북민들의 인생에도 의미있는 도움을 주는 단체가 되었으면 합니다. 함께, 누군가의 인생에 도움이 되는 일에 함께해주세요!

감사합니다.

Item 1: TNKR volunteer Alannah Hill donated her birthday gift money (about 400,000 won, $335) in honor of the North Korean refugee mother who reportedly starved to death.

Item 2: Over the past few years, several North Korean refugee mothers studying in TNKR have come to us asking for assistance. We are not a one-stop shop for social issues, but we have helped them behind-the-scenes with various issues.

Item 3: In 2017, TNKR received a one-time donation of almost 3 million won to distribute in the form of scholarships for North Korean refugees, but that lasted only one year. All seven beneficiaries were North Korean refugee women studying in TNKR, they each received about 400,000 won.

Item 4: Mirroring the general population of North Korean refugees who have escaped to South Korea, about 76% of students in TNKR are North Korean refugee women.

Inspired by the donation today and the other items above, TNKR would like to resume scholarships for North Korean refugee women studying in our program. Nothing against the men, if you would like to support a scholarship for North Korean refugee men, please contact us, if we have at least one donor giving a significant amount then we can launch such a fundraiser.