Min Ko Naing has since the beginning of his studies at a university been an active member in student activist groups, trying to improve the conditions in a country where there is a huge failure in the educational system. He has organized several peaceful demonstrations with the purpose to create a democratic educational system in Myanmar.​
Because of his work for democracy and peace, Min Ko Naing has since 1988 spent most of his time in prison. The ABFSU organization has during all this time contributed to the work that Min Ko Naing was doing, even though several of student activists have been killed, imprisoned and have disappeared. They have continued to fight for what they believed in, and were therefore awarded the Student Peace Prize of 2001.