How I Started My Abolitionist Journey

On February 11, 2010, my wife came across the Love146.org website and we started looking through it together. We were awestruck to learn that slavery is still rampant worldwide, even in the United States. I started digging through their website for more information and I came across a video titled, "Imagine." This video didn't just grab me, it shook me. This was my call to action and I knew I had to join the fight.

Imagine from LOVE146 on Vimeo.

TURNING POINT

This video was the turning point in my life where I became an abolitionist. I have three beautiful little girls and a little boy. This video kept me up through the night thinking of my own children and the suffering of child slaves around the world. I thought, "If only I could free these kids and adopt them as my own. Give them the protection and love all children deserve."

I thought of early abolitionists, the civil rights movement and horrid events such as the holocaust. How many people stood by while these atrocities occurred? A better question, how many stood up to defend the rights of themselves and others?

Will I stand by or stand up?
What will you do?

The first step to ending slavery worldwide is awareness. Until a few weeks ago, I was not aware that there are 27 million slaves worldwide. That's more slaves than any time in history, including the transatlantic slave trade. If I, an "educated" college graduate, business professional, youth church leader and father of five was not aware of the magnitude of modern slavery, then there must be thousands of others out there just like me that need to know.

A message from 9-year-old Jasmine

There are miracles happening at the LOVE146 Round House.  These stories bring me hope. There are many charities and non-profits you can and should donate to. If you do not have a charity that you donate to yet, I invite you to support LOVE146 below.

Jasmine is one of the many girls and boys we’ve served through our global survivor care programs. She has been recovering in our Round Home in the Philippines for more than a year and has shared her hopes with us: “In the future, I want to be a teacher. One of the most beautiful gifts from God is the chance to learn. Love146 is helping me to do my studies and see my dreams. Because of education, I can be smart in making decisions, and other people can’t trick me. Here in the Round Home, I am very happy because nobody hurts me, and lots of people love me here.”

Your gifts create transformative spaces for children, like Jasmine, to experience beauty in the world. Every dollar you give through this email will go directly towards our Survivor Care programs in The Philippines. SUPPORT OUR SAFE HOMES

New Song from Musician and Fellow Abolitionist Jess Clayton

LISTEN TO THE SINGLE VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

On Thursday 18th October, UK Anti-Slavery Day, up and coming musician Jess Clayton released her single ‘Voice for the Voiceless’ to raise awareness of modern day slavery and raise funds for The Treehouse Project.

The single was launched at a concert at Freedom Art Studios in front of a packed audience. The evening included performances from Beka Vyce, Red Letter and Jess Clayton. Proceeds from the concert and single downloads have already raised over £1,000 to help survivors of Human Trafficking.

Anti-Slavery Day was created by Act of Parliament in 2010 to raise awareness of modern slavery and to inspire people to eliminate it.

There are currently estimated to be 27 millions slaves in the world, more than at any other time in history. Modern day slaves are exploited for profit in many ways, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, trafficking and domestic servitude.

Human trafficking and exploitation is a growing problem with the UK recognised as a significant transit and destination country for trafficked women and young people. Many of those trafficked are under 18 years of age.

Jess Clayton is a singer-songwriter who is passionate about writing songs to make an impact.

She studied Commercial Music at Bath Spa University but stopped a year short of the full degree as she wanted to just get out in the world and start trying to make a difference.

In 2011 Jess was offered an internship working at the Trauma Recovery Centre (TRC) in Bath; a charity that offers free play therapy and counselling for children who are facing trauma and crisis. There she met Susie (whose real name shall remain unknown). Susie was 20 years old and had three children. She had been sold by her father into slavery at 13 after which time she suffered extreme abuse and exploitation. Susie finally managed to escape aged 19 years old after being assaulted for a final time and nearly losing her children and her life.

Jess says “I had the privilege of working with Susie and being her friend. Working at the TRC with the Treehouse Project tugged on so many of my heart strings, including the musical ones, I couldn’t help but start writing songs about it. These experiences have left me with a particularly strong determination to bring hope and change into the world through my music.

I recorded my single ‘Voice for the Voiceless’ to raise awareness of Human Trafficking. The song is inspired by my involvement with the TRC and working with survivors of human trafficking like Susie. 100% of all sales from the single will be donated to the TRC’s Treehouse Project which provides an aftercare service in the UK for survivors of Human Trafficking”

The TRC launched The Treehouse Project in February 2012. The project focuses on the rehabilitation of children and young people who have been the victims of human trafficking by providing therapeutic aftercare through counselling, befriending, education and accommodation.

‘Voice for the Voiceless’ can still be downloaded from http://jessclayton.bandcamp.com for a donation of just £1, with all proceeds going to The Treehouse Project.

Finally Jess said “Even if you could just turn 27,000,000 slaves into 26,999,999, isn’t it worth it for that one?”

SOURCE: http://jessclayton.bandcamp.com/

New App helps Combat Human Trafficking in South Africa

Not For Sale is joining forces with Mxit, Africa’s largest social networking service, to combat human trafficking in South Africa.

With over 40 million users in South Africa alone, Mxit is Africa’s largest social media platform in Africa--larger than Facebook or Twitter. Not For Sale and MixIt have developed an educational platform on human trafficking that will be utilized as a survey for mobile phones.

Using the format of 11 ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions on human trafficking, users of Mxit are
encouraged and incentivized through gamification (offering airtime, credits etc.) to take
the survey produced by Not For Sale. At the end of the survey, if users feel or know
someone affected by trafficking, a toll-free number is provided for them to report
instances.

Since 2010, Not For Sale South Africa has assisted law enforcement in over 70 cases of
human trafficking. The most prevalent forms of human trafficking seen in South Africa
are sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage, and agricultural labor.
Though, sexual exploitation makes up 75% of those having survived trafficking.

Internally, most victims come from poor regions or rural areas and informal settlements.
They are lured by hopes of a possible job in the city. Recruiters are often individuals
known intimately by the victim. Internationally, women and girls living in poor regions
of countries like China, Russia, Thailand, and Bulgaria are trafficked to South Africa for
sex. Of the cases Not For Sale South Africa has assisted with since 2010, 60% have been
foreigners.

With access to Mxit’s user base of close to 40 million mobile customers, we expect up to
150,000 people to answer the survey in the next couple of months. This will allow Not
For Sale to reach a significant number of individuals with up-to-date information and
resources on human trafficking, in areas where such information is usually inaccessible.
This outreach will significantly increase the general understanding of human trafficking
in South Africa, while utilizing data to create economic opportunities that will prevent
human trafficking in South Africa before it begins. This project is piloting in South
Africa; however, Not For Sale and Mxit have plans to extend the platform to a number of
other African countries.

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ 
Not For Sale
270 Capistrano Road, Suite 2
Half Moon Bay, Calif.
www.notforsalecampaign.org
For More Information Contact:
Jessica Henry 415-794-9049
Jessica@notforsalecampaign.org
About Not For Sale
Not For Sale creates tools that engage business, government, and grassroots in order to incubate and grow
social enterprises to benefit enslaved and vulnerable communities. There are over 30 million slaves in the world
today, more than at any other point in history. Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry
worldwide and generates more than $32 billion per year.

Two Child Soldiers Released in Burma

Burmese military officials free two young men to their families following international intervention.

The Burmese military, notorious for recruiting under-aged fighters, has released two child soldiers to their families following pressure from a global labor rights watchdog.

RFA

Phyo Sithu with his mother following his release from prison, Sept. 2, 2011.

Zaw Wai Lin, 16, and Nay Ye Lin, 15, who were conscripted into different military units, were both allowed to leave their barracks on Friday after each had spent nearly a year in forced service.

Both children had been the subject of RFA coverage after their parents reported the boys missing and local rights group Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) filed cases on their behalf with the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Zaw Wai Lin, of Rangoon division’s Hlaing Tharyar township, told RFA that he was released from the Mandalay 111 Directorate of Signal in front of local authorities and his parents.

"A group of army officers, one local authority, and my parents were present when they released me. They didn’t say anything when I was set free,” he said.

“I will be going back to school next year. For now, I will help my mom with farming."

Zaw Wai Lin said he was forced to join the army in September last year at the age of 15... (READ FULL STORY)

SOURCES: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/soldiers-09092011174806.html

Touching Photos of Freed Child Slaves from the Organization Children's Rescue Initiative

I came across the organization Children's Rescue Initiative in a Facebook post by their founder Bruce Ladebu. In looking through their website, http://www.thechildrensrescue.org/, I was touched by their photo albums of children in slavery and children rescued from slavery. Their organization frees children and families and provides safe houses with after care treatment and schools for them to develop their education and help with the transition back to society. Here are just a few images from their site.

Here is a boy working on a rug loom. Often this is where they eat, sleep and work with little food and rest. Many children have their finger tips burned to callus them to avoid going raw while working on the loom. Children enslaved in the looms often suffer severe respiratory problems from the rug fibers in the air and enclosed spaces.

These boys work under the abusive hand of a brick factory owner. Unless they are rescued, they will probably not live to be teenagers.

Bruce and Robert with a group of children in one of our schools!

We rescued these precious girls after we heard that the oldest sister had been raped and was pregnant by the slave owner. Our team went in and forcefully took the family and got them into a safe house.

We rescued this entire family from brutal conditions in a brick field
.

Bruce and Robert in ceremonial clothing given by the village where we are opening up a new school. This group of boys were all rescued from brutal slave conditions.

The Children's Rescue Initiative is currently focusing on major projects in Pakistan and Rwanda. Their work is dangerous and sometimes they are forced to use debatable tactics, such as buying children out of slavery, to save them. I like what they say about this on their website.

"We are taking and sometimes buying children out of slavery. We have paid money for many children. This is controversial, however in the very dangerous places where we operate, we must do things properly in order to avoid attacks and rioting. We use a variety of methods to free children. We NEVER deal with slave traders, only those who "own" the children. We negotiate debts that have kept these children in bondage. As of 2011, we have freed several hundred children from slavery."

I understand both sides of the argument on buying children out of slavery. But given the areas Children's Rescue initiative is operating, their experience in those areas and seeing some of the things they have accomplished, I think it's sometimes a necessary precaution to free these children.

I know I would be hard pressed to look into the eyes of an enslaved child, especially if it were my own, and not essentially pay a ransom for their freedom. This approach can lead to slave owners making a profit off organizations willing to pay for their freedom, only to go and enslave more children to work their fields, looms, brothels and other horrible situations no child should endure. It does not address the long-term means to end slavery, but it does address the immediate needs of that child. It's a tough dilemma that can vary on a case by case basis.

You can learn more at http://www.thechildrensrescue.org/.