ENoK is a nonprofit organization that supports North Korean refugees who are building lives for themselves in diaspora.
North Koreans have identified a problem: humanitarian aid too often already presumes what help is needed. ENoK responds to these refugees’ call by instead centering their autonomy when making plans to provide support.
Since North Koreans have expressed that education is a priority for creating the lives they want to live, education is a cornerstone of ENoK’s mission. As refugees identify and pursue their educational aspirations, we collaborate with them by providing room and board at a shared living space in Chicago and by connecting them to tutoring resources. Since ENoK began this work in 2014, ENoK has partnered with over thirty North Koreans pursuing their educational goals.
Responding to misconceptions and stigma about North Koreans, ENoK is also a project of creating a community where North Koreans and non–North Koreans learn from each other and foster meaningful, lasting friendships. Recognizing the essential value of play and enrichment, ENoK is a space for people to cultivate existing interests and try new things together: cooking, club sports, karaoke, visiting museums, and learning to play piano and guitar.