Learning Freedom: Help Educate North Korean Youth

The Hangyoreh School is an alternative winter school for North Korean youth. Since its inception in 2001, over 600 North Korean youth have benefitted from this program through its emphasis on alleviating academic difficulties, fostering creativity, honing logic, increasing students’ awareness of their rights and freedoms and encouraging consideration for others.

Citizens' Alliance held its 28th Hangyoreh School for North Korean Youth over the course of almost three weeks during January. This year's participants included 27 students and 11 staff and volunteers.

The students woke up each day at 6 AM, had morning classes of English and Math, and then participated in special activities, language classes, and democratic citizenship studies in the afternoon. Although the schedule was rather rigorous, the students were enthusiastic and dedicated.

NKHR intern Hye-In was able to work alongside the instructors and called it the most worthwhile and fulfilling volunteer experience she has ever had. She was particularly moved by the students' underlying motivation. Denied similar opportunities in North Korea, one recalled, “The skin on my palms was hardened from farm work. During that time, I always thought that if only I still had my mother, if only I had been given a chance to enter university, I would have studied hard.”

Hye-In saw first-hand the sense of empowerment they were able to achieve through the program, echoed in common refrains like "English sentences feel different to me when I read them now," and "I used to hate studying English grammar, but now I understand its importance." Calling them "bright" and "full of jokes," Hye-In recounts the students' optimism and generosity, extending even to invitations to visit their North Korean neighborhoods post-reunification. "Hearing such words made it difficult not to love them."

We would like to thank our GlobalGiving donors for generous donations of $ 8,005 toward our education programs last year. The Hangyureh school's total cost was about $17,000 - out of which $ 5,000 was supported by GlobalGiving donations. Thank you on behalf of our North Korean students!