Help NK refugees build their future

I am volunteering with 'Teach North Korean Refugees' (TNKR), a non-profit, grassroots organization that operates in South Korea. The main mission of this operation has been to empower the lives of North Korean defectors and to help them effectively transition to a normal way of living outside of their home country. One of the many obstacles that these refugees face (after their extremely difficult and dangerous journey to South Korea) is their lack of knowledge and experience with the English language. Not only is this a necessary skill for advancing their professional life, but its acquisition also gives refugees a voice with which to tell their story, find community, and heal.

As such, TNKR has taken an education-centered model by connecting NK refugees to English tutors, mentors, and speech-coaches in adequately-located and furnished classrooms and at no cost.

But to meet this goal, the organization has always needed to rely on donations.
By donating to this fundraiser, you will not only be funding access to these spaces (for the refugees and tutors like myself) but will also be helping refugees build their futures in a better, freer world.

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!