Sanjini, Executive Director

Please do try and be an advocate for the children in whatever way you can. Simply talking to others about our work and the plight of our little people will help create more awareness around the issue. We hope this will in turn affect change at both societal and policy level. These small steps will help work towards our OA vision and mission.  

Junhwan, Early Years Volunteer 

My school teacher was nice to students without prejudice whether the student was good or bad. I want to be a teacher because I was impressed by my teacher. I used to live at Myeongjin orphanage. When Sarah (from Life Together) and I first met, she helped me with English and many things. Just like they helped me, I want to help the kids as well. 

Emma, Early Years Volunteer 

Open Arms pursues not temporary help but sustainable help. I like its mission and it always needs help from volunteers who can speak both Korean and English. I love children and have experience working at a school speaking English and especially my native Korean. Emphasizing globalization all around the world, teaching English for children in Myeongjin would be very beneficial to them. Most of the students preferred to speak Korean rather than English. It seemed hard to communicate with them by speaking English and they needed Korean translators. However, interacting with foreigners could make them think more about other languages and understand why they should learn English. Whenever we wrap up the classes, children always ask, "Are you coming next week? How often will you visit us? When are you coming? You're definitely coming back, right? I will wait for you!” Hearing this, I thought I should give up sleeping in late once a month and visit. Commuting an hour and a half to see these children is very worthwhile and rewarding. I felt so happy that I found a perfect place to help with what little time I could spare. 

Janni, Early Years Volunteer

Open Arms is a very special organization and I am proud to be a part of it. It’s beautiful to see the effort that the whole team puts into not only teaching the kids English but most importantly making them feel loved and cared for and how happy the kids are to receive the love they are being given. The kids we get to work with are incredibly sweet and kind-hearted, so relationships are able to develop quickly. I’m hoping that even after I leave Korea I will be able to stay in contact with the girls that I have gotten close with. Some might say that the kids are lucky to have us but after volunteering for some time it has become clear that we are in fact the lucky ones for having met these incredible kids.

James Loft - Program Manager, Myeongjin Wildflower Welfare Home

I am a British citizen that has lived in Seoul since 2018 with my wife, son and 2 dogs. In Korea, I love to be outside, whether this is hiking or riding my bike, and the scenery is alway spectacular. Open Arms gives me the opportunity to connect with smiling, enthusiastic children and the chance to give back to the local community. 

Kathrine Nielsen - Welfare Home Liaison, Cheongwoon Welfare Home

I am from Denmark and have an educational background in public health science. Ever since I was a teenager I have had a passion for human rights and held the belief that we all have a shared responsibility of trying to make the world a better place in whichever way we are able. This belief eventually led me to Korea where I have been based since 2021. I have had the privilege of working with Open Arms ever since I came here, and it is my hope that together we can contribute to a better future for the children and that they one day, in turn, are able to help push society in a positive direction.