"In 2008-09, I will ask you all to Make Dreams Real for the world's children. This will be our theme, and my challenge to all of you."

- D.K. Lee Rotary International President 2008-2009

 

Proposed Project: Collect textbooks for North Korea and work in cooperation with the Asia Foundation to send these books over to North Korea by the end of winter semester. How this will help.

Idea: Whenever North Korea receives Humanitarian Aide, Kim Jong Il will give a majority of it to his military, and it does not go to the people who need it most. In order for the North Korean economy to become healthy, they must do it themselves.    Their economy is not a problem that foreign aid can handle for them.    The textbooks will not be given to the army, but instead are a tool to provide the potential for North Korea to develop the new knowledge needed to get themselves out of this situation.

What we have so far:

-     I have been in contact with Melody Zavala from the Asia Foundation.    She is the Director for the Books for Asia project that is run by the Asia Foundation. She is aware of this project and fully supports it.

-    The Asia Foundation has a contact in North Korea with the National Library in Pyongyang. The books will be sent there.

-    Many people have expressed interest in this project. I have been talking with people from LDS Philanthropies and contacts with several of the major publishing companies.

-    Shipping costs for the books are donated by a private donor, so this will not be an issue.

Now is the time:

-    Dong Kurn Lee, president of Bubang Co. Ltd in South Korea, took office on July 1st as president of Rotary International, a volunteer service organization with more than 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

-    President Lee's focuses this year for Rotary:

o   Lee will target childhood mortality as his top area of focus.  "We will keep our minds firmly on our goal that is to save the lives of children," Lee says. "Rotary will turn the dreams of a safe and happy childhood - a childhood that becomes a long and healthy life - into a reality because all of the world's children, are our children." (From South Korean Businessman to lead Rotary into its 104th year, Rotary International News, July 1st, 2008)

 

o   Lee will emphasize three other major humanitarian issues: literacy, hunger relief, and clean water. During his one-year term, Lee will encourage Rotary clubs around the world to partner with local governments and non-governmental organizations to initiate projects that improve literacy rates and provide sustainable sources of food and clean water to communities in developing countries. (From South Korean Businessman to lead Rotary into its 104th year, Rotary International News, July 1st, 2008

-    Malnutrition in North Korea is higher than any other third-world country.

o   More than 13 million North Koreans suffer from malnutrition, including 60 percent of all children -- the worst rate among 110 developing nations surveyed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF." (www.pbs.org/frontlineworld)

o   "Ultimately, food aid is going to be a need for a long period of time, until there are significant strides forward in order for the country to be able to improve its own economic well-being. Until then, famine and malnutrition will likely stalk North Korea's unfortunate inhabitants." (Hunger and Malnutrition Stalk North Korea, CNN.com)

o   To understand why childhood mortality and malnutrition is a problem in North Korea, view Children of the Secret State

-     Each of these focuses except literacy is a major problem in North Korea

 

Beneficial Contacts

1.       Gordon Flake (former Korean missionary/ currently executive director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, co-author of The NGO experience in North Korea)

2.       Scott Snyder (Senior Associate, The Asia Foundation/ Specializing in North Korean relations/co-author of The NGO experience in North Korea)

3.       Melody Zavala (director of Books for Asia, a division of The Asia Foundation)

4.       Ed Reed (Country Representative, North Korea, for The Asia Foundation)