In a world with material abundance, poverty was something that existed only on TV – people waiting for international aid in war-torn countries, or the poverty in Africa. The usual sort of imagery that comes to mind when “poverty” is mentioned. I remember once being asked to donate to UNICEF during a flight. I’d be glad to help, but I couldn’t help but wonder: would my money really reach the people who needed it? There are many organizations out there doing great work, but, to be honest, I’d never seriously thought about what role I could play in contributing to the global community.
That changed last year when I began volunteering at a group home. These days in Korea, it’s rare to see people starving to their deaths. But what I witnessed there made me reconsider what poverty really means. Seven children living together in two cramped rooms without proper beds. Things most kids would take for granted, like going to a swimming pool, visiting a ski resort, eating out, or attending private academies, weren’t part of their life. Seeing that, I started to understand that poverty isn’t just about lacking food or shelter. It’s about being denied the opportunity to live life in a decent, human condition.
I’ve come to realize that maybe the most meaningful thing I can do right now is take small, concrete steps to address the poverty that exists around me. And perhaps, one day, those small actions will grow into something larger—something that allows me to help people in distant places who are in even greater need.
Actually, we don’t have to look very far to find one of the most severe cases of poverty – North Korea. Since the Korean War in the 1950s, North Korea country remained isolated, ruled by a dictatorship, and has developed into a society so corrupted that it can barely be called a functioning state. Because it’s so closed off, the true extent of its harsh conditions isn’t widely known, but from the accounts of numerous defectors, the situation is devastating. There’s limited access to electricity and running water. Owning a car is a fantasy. Starvation is common. And the concept of human rights is practically nonexistent.
Yet, in stark contrast, their leader Kim Jong-un reportedly owns dozens of supercars, luxury yachts, and dines on imported Swiss cheese.
In a world this vast, it’s easy to feel small. But even so, I can’t help but wonder—what can I do, as one individual?