The Seed of Hope Begins in Your Hands(Sharon)

Hello. I’m Sharon Jang, author of Girl with Black Makeup.

I was born in Aoji, North Korea, and lived 21 years without dreams or hope.

For three years, I toiled in the dark underground tunnels of the Aoji coal mines—a place people often joke about—enduring accidents and hard labor again and again.

But even in that painful reality, I couldn’t freely say even one simple phrase: “This is hard.”

I arrived in South Korea in search of freedom. But to me, Korean society was yet another unfamiliar and difficult journey.

Foreign words and English made me feel even smaller, and my confidence and self-esteem hit rock bottom.

Then one day, the warm support of Casey and Eunkoo, the co-founders of Freedom Speakers International (FSI), reached me. Their sincere encouragement planted a small, fragile seed of hope inside me.

That seed grew—and now here I am.
Someone who speaks to people around the world, nervously but confidently sharing her story in English.

All of this has changed my life in a positive direction.

But this journey was one I could never have walked alone.

And that’s why, now, your warm support is a great strength to North Korean refugees and to FSI, the group that supports them.

FSI helps North Korean refugees learn English and find their voices through public speaking and writing.

Yet there are still many obstacles in the way: language barriers, financial hardship, and social prejudice.

Your small act of giving can bring about big change. And your helping hand can give rise to another Sharon.

Please join me in this fundraising campaign, so that the voices once silenced can finally be heard.

A world where we can speak freely—it begins now, in your hands.

30 Fundraisers Set Up — Just 10 More to Go!

Thanks to a generous South Korean donor, Freedom Speakers International is running a Matching Challenge to empower North Korean refugees.

The donor has pledged to donate $100 for every fundraiser set up — up to 40 fundraisers total.

✅ 30 people have already set up fundraisers
🎯 We need just 10 more to unlock the full match

At FSI, we empower North Korean refugees through education and public speaking. Many are now giving speeches around the world, writing books, and telling their stories in English for the first time.

By starting or supporting a fundraiser, you’re helping them continue that journey.
Even if you don’t raise any money, just setting one up helps us unlock more support.

👉 Set up your fundraiser. Show your support.
Together, we can amplify voices that were once silenced.

—
Casey Lartigue Jr.
Co-founder and Chairman
Freedom Speakers International (FSI)