Meet Olivia

Olivia had to drop out of school in North Korea at the age of fifteen to support her family. She became ill with tuberculosis and endured many trials during her journey from North Korea to China. Months after arriving in South Korea, Olivia’s experience with freedom wasn’t what she expected. Her tuberculosis returned and her spirit was crushed by the illness, isolation, fear and despair of the future. Yet it was in this dark season that she experienced break-through. 

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Religious traditions and church practices were suspiciously reminiscent of state ideology and propaganda she experienced in North Korea. Naturally she was extremely skeptical of Christianity and the God they professed. Yet, one day in the depths of despair and illness she listened to a sermon, hoping to find a bit of comfort to ease her pain. As she listened, the pastor’s words resonated deeply in her heart, “Each day that God allows us to live is not something to take for granted – it is a gift of grace.” Though her body was still so weak, she began to feel her spirit heal. It was in this time of sickness that she encountered God most intimately, shaping and refining her for all that was ahead.

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“I realized that simple things—breathing without pain, eating with loved ones, opening my eyes in the morning—were not ordinary at all. They were beautiful acts of grace that I had been overlooking all along.”

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Since then, Olivia has pursued a vision and purpose-driven life to study and seek to provide quality education to North Korean refugees and other marginalized communities. She worked extremely hard to overcome many obstacles and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. In the course of her studies she is working with underprivileged communities in the U.S. and understanding literacy services to help improve access and opportunities for a brighter future. She is passionate about transforming lives through literacy that moves beyond reading to deeper comprehension and critical thinking. This type of education that sparks understanding has the potential to transform a student’s mindset and future.

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Journey with Olivia as she inspires transformation through education in the lives of North Korean refugee communities and marginalized communities. 

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[Note: Given the compromising nature of revealing personally identifiable information of North Koreans, the above image has been chosen by Olivia to represent her campaign.]