WHERE JTS WORKS

Philippines, India, South Korea, North Korea, etc.

PHILIPPINES

About Mindanao Philippines

The Philippines consists of 7,000 islands, which are grouped into three main clusters: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Mindanao, which has a population of 26 million people, is the second largest island in the Philippines. The people of the Philippines have contrasting perceptions of Mindanao. The island is simultaneously seen as a land of danger and hope, as a land of abundance and deficiency, and as a place of rapid development and widespread poverty.

The Philippines was colonized by Spain in the 16th century. Under the colonial rule, many laws were enacted and implemented with the aim of taking land away from the ethnic tribes. This policy increased tension and conflict among the different ethnic tribes and was implemented in a way that marginalized the Filipino Muslims. Under the Spanish colonial rule, Christians became the ruling class, and the marginalized Moro Muslims were relegated to living in Mindanao, a place that resisted the colonial rule.     

14 of the 20 poorest municipalities in the Philippines are in Mindanao. The GNP per capita of the residents in Mindanao is less than $1,000. Furthermore, the residents of Mindanao have the shortest life expectancy and the highest rate of illiteracy in the country. In protest of such inequalities, Islam forces have been fighting to gain independence from the Philippine government. This has led to increasingly violent conflicts among the different religious communities in Mindanao. 

These conflicts between the government and the Muslim armed forces have left the native tribes and the Muslim residents no option but to live in remote areas and lead exceedingly difficult lives.

INDIA

A world without hunger, disease, and illiteracy begin here

India, which has a population of 12 billion people, is a place where many ethnic groups coexist, and several hundred languages are spoken. For thousands of years, the country has experienced great changes, including invasions, famine, religious persecution, and rapid political shifts. In recent years, India has also been undergoing rapid changes in all corners of society with the development of modern science and technology. However, many rural areas have remained virtually unchanged for the past several hundred years. One of those areas is Dungeshwari, meaning “abandoned land.” Previously a dumping ground for the dead, the location currently has a population of 12,000 and is one of the least developed areas in India. Most of the inhabitants are the destitute, and 90% of the population is illiterate. Since the land is infertile, it is only possible to farm crops for 3 months each year. The residents receive little government assistance, and most live on less than 1 dollar a day.

SOUTH KOREA

Since 2016, JTS has begun identifying vulnerable groups that are often overlooked by the welfare system: Low-income households of teenage parents, single parents, and children who are experiencing food insecurity.

Every spring and fall, JTS has held festivities and picnics for the elderly, the disabled, as well as foreign workers. In August 2015, JTS established the Ansan JTS Multicultural Center in Ansan, a city inhabited by a large population of foreign workers. The center provides various kinds of support to help foreign families adjust in South Korea. It also helps foreign workers who are going back to their native countries develop skills that will be of service to those in their community back home.    

 

NORTH KOREA

Humanitarian aid to North Korea began after hearing reports of North Koreans starving to death and an increase of North Korean refugees due to chronic food shortages and frequent natural disasters

  • In 1997, JTS began emergency food aid to the most vulnerable population in North Hamkyung Province, which was suffering from severe food shortage. JTS established a factory in Rasun City to produce nutritious meals for children. The meals were then provided to all of the 11,000 children in all of the 110 daycare centers and pre-schools in Rasun City.
  • JTS provided emergency relief goods to North Korea after major disasters such as the train explosion at Ryongcheon Station in 2004, the spread of the scarlet fever in 2006, and flood disasters between 2006 and 2011
  • JTS has carried out humanitarian aid in North Korea for 15 years regardless of the political situation between the two Koreas. After building trust with the North Koreans, JTS was able to expand aid to more regions in the country in 2008.
  • In 2010, JTS reached an agreement with North Korea to provide regular humanitarian aid to all the orphanages, nursing homes, and special schools for the disabled. For one full year, JTS provided food, necessities, and school materials to 12,000 people in 53 facilities in North Korea.

EMERGENCY RELIEF

Emergency relief projects are also actively responding to disaster areas that occur in many parts of the world every year.

JTS provides emergency aid in areas suffering from natural disasters (flood, earthquake, etc) or in crisis due to armed conflicts.

  • Provided food and 100,000 gas stoves to the Rohingya refugees
  • Provided food and daily necessities in areas hit by natural disasters including Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar
  • Provided food to people who lost their homes due to wars and civil wars

FUNDRAISING AND CAMPAIGN

May 5 th of every year, Children’s Day in Korea, JTS fundraising campaign is held all around the world by JTS volunteers.

JTS is an International Relief Organization that has been granted Special Consultative Status from UN ECOSOC. The funds will be spent on helping people around the world who are suffering from hunger, disease and illiteracy.

WASHINGTON, DC 

Garage Sale 

On June 5th, the Washington Jungto society had a yard sale, raising $213, selling donated goods, plus $287 in other donations. The grand total of $500 was sent to JTS. 11 members of Washington Jungto society and their friends donated their used belongings for the cause. On the day of the event, the organizers arrived at 7:00am to post signs on the street and in front of the venue of the yard sale. They also set up tables and spread mats on the yard to display the items for sale.

Around 8:00am, neighbors started to show up to the yard sale. The price of the items was low but some customers tried to negotiate for a better bargain. When the organizers explained that the yard sale was a JTS fundraising event, some people were happy to donate additional money.

Several Jungto members walked around explaining to customers the purpose of the event and made extra efforts to raise funds. Everyone was happy to participate in the yard sale. The organizers only had a short amount of time to prepare for the yard sale and didn’t feel that they were going to have enough merchandise. However, by the day of the yard sale they had gathered together enough used goods to make the event very successful. There was no assigned director, but all the members came together to work hard for the event, and everything went very smoothly. They are helping children in North Korea and the survivor of the earthquake in Haiti by donating the money they raised to JTS America. They were all happy to volunteer because they are making a difference in this world.

JACKSONVILL, FL 

Garage Sale: Haiti Quake Relief Victims 

Jacksonville Jungto in Florida held a garage sale for Haiti Quake Relief victims on May 15th, 2010. The Haiti garage sale was held to help honor Buddha’s birthday. Everyone shared their hearts to do something meaningful with JTS America’s Haiti & North Korea Relief effort. Since it was the Jacksonville Jungto’s first garage sale, there were so many things to prepare like ads and other things. Everyone put their hearts together. Even children shared their belongings willingly and sold coffee and cookies that they had baked voluntarily on the spot. So to speak, one of the best ways to purify our hearts and minds is “sharing.” We held the event with the idea of “Sharing” but we got so much more than we gave. It was such a blessing to have this event on Buddha’s birthday. $521 was donated and all was sent to JTS America. I hope all of you will receive the blessings we share

USA & MORE

Street Fundraising + Campaign + Garage Sales

Austin, TX

Seattle, WA

Las Vegas NV

New York, NY

San Diego, CA

Palisades Park, NJ

Seattle, WA

Dallas, TX

Washington, DC

Mindanao, Philippines

SOUTH KOREA

Fundraising: JTS street fundraising campaign on May 5th (Children’s Day) and December

Every year around Children’s Day (May 5th) and Christmas, JTS Korea and Guilbot a Jungto Society Group of artists, broadcasters, and entertainers conduct street fundraising campaigns for all the children around the world with the aim of ending hunger, diseases, and illiteracy.

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