Despite global sanctions and a world-wide pandemic, Ignis Community forges on to provide basic humanitarian aid to children in the DPRK. On November 23, 2020, Ignis Community initiated our 2020 shoe donation drive for children in orphanages and remote villages throughout North Korea. Since 2010, this annual project has provided over 110,000+ pairs throughout all ten provinces of North Korea. As a result, every year an average of 12,000 children have been warmed by a brand-new pair of winter snow boots.

To help spread the word about the 2020 shoe donation, on December 4th Ignis Community launched the “Ice Feet Challenge”. My husband and I, co-founders of Ignis Community, were the first to submerge our feet in ice-cold water while calling others to join in the Facebook challenge. Soon people from all around the world joined us. Individuals from the U.S.A. and Korea were the first to respond, but then other people from Singapore, China, Mexico, and even Brazil participated in the “Ice Feet Challenge”.

The methods in which people participated in the challenge varied. Although the most popular method was simply using a bucket of ice-cold water, others were more creative. Some piled up huge stacks of snow or ice in their yards. Those in cold climates actually stepped onto local frozen streams or out into snow flurries with bare feet. One individual even dived into a chilly, outdoor swimming pool! As Korean celebrities starting participating, news of Ignis’ Facebook challenge reached a Korean broadcasting company, and on January 16, MBC aired the “Ice Feet Challenge” as part of a North Korea-related program.

In a short, two months, approximately $148,000 USD was raised to provide 11,000 pairs of winters snow boots to children in North Korea. Children’s shoes will be distributed to daycare facilities, kindergartens, and primary schools throughout North Korea through a local non-profit organization known as Korea Education Fund (KEF) as soon as the DPRK borders re-open.

Through the support of numerous individuals and groups from six different nations, Ignis Community was able to continue our annual shoe donation program to young children in the most remote areas of North Korea. We are incredibly encouraged by the wide-array of participants this year, especially as the world is facing unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic.

In 2017, the Geographic Travel Restriction for U.S. citizens and global sanctions against the DPRK made humanitarian work inside the nation incredibly challenging. But as COVID-19 began ravaging the world, DPRK closed its borders, as did many other nations. And even though the border closing helped prevent the spread of the deadly virus, it aggravated the country’s economy and food security.

Before the pandemic, approximately 40% of the population in the DPRK was food insecure. Now after a year of closed borders, research indicates that currently it may be closer to 60% of the population in need of humanitarian assistance.

Despite all the odds, Ignis Community has been able to deliver minimal humanitarian support inside the country. This humanitarian aid has included a large medical shipment, which arrived in Pyongyang on June 14, 2020, as well as minimal food and heating support to rural-side clinics, daycare centers, and kindergartens.

As the borders remain closed until the global pandemic is under control, the situation in the DPRK will only become direr. Most imports, including many humanitarian shipments, are currently not able to get inside the country. Only through Ignis Community’s long-standing presence and experience on the ground is there a crack in the door that allows minimal support to trickle in.

Just this past month, Ignis Community has been asked by the DPRK government to increase food and winter heating donations to include an additional 3,000 children in the Northeast region. Every month 5 tons of rice is necessary to nourish these children, which costs approximately $4,000/month. It is Ignis Community’s desire to not only feed these children but to also provide sufficient coal to heat childcare facilities.

We need your help! You can help feed and keep a child in North Korea warm this winter. To support this project or other life-saving humanitarian aid to the DPRK, visit https://igniscommunity.org/planting-seed