Hello readers,
I wanted to let you know about a very worthwhile project I learned about from Andrea at A Train To Crazy.
Andrea is assembling a group of sewists and crafters to try to raise money and make gifts for women and girls and boys who have been rescued from human slavery.
To learn more about this campaign visit www.shesworthitcampaign.com
Did you know slavery is alive in well in this world and that
OVER 500,000 Children between the ages of 5 and 15 are forced into sexual slavery every year?
While our media focuses on things like who won the Grammies, if Beyonce lip synched at the presidential inauguration, and other totally trivial events, there is true evil going on this world and most governments aren't doing anything to stop it.
I once took a trip to Thailand with my two daughters who were 5 and 13. It was just the three of us and we landed in Bangkok at 1 AM. After finding a taxi, it drove us through the evening streets of Bangkok to the other side of town were our rented apartment was. We passed through many streets lined with young prostitutes... some that looked as young as 12 years old. It was on that trip that I learned about the international sex trade and how vast it actually is.
I was so sad and I felt so helpless.
What could I, a stay at home mom do to help? I couldn't run off and join a humanitarian group nor did I have the means or knowledge to start a non profit or become a human rights activist.
I'm sure a lot of you have felt the same way so I am urging you to join the She's Worth It Campaign
They are making bracelets and simple zipped pouches as gifts for the victims and trying to get people to donate 10 dollars each to send to these specific organizations that help these girls...
- Father's House: a safe house for children in Cambodia who are at risk for being trafficked. This home is run by In His Steps International. You can read more about it here.
- The Sewing Project: we'll be
raising money for a group of mothers in an Indian village who have been freed from the sex industry and are learning sewing as a trade! The funds will also help hire a social worker to help them with them withrehabilitation . This project is run by Indian Rescue Mission
At first I have to admit I was a little cynical about the value of making bracelets and pouches. "Why not make something more useful like skirts?", I asked Andrea and Jessica from Me Sew Crazy who is also participating in the campaign....
Jessica answered this to me." Well, the bracelets and zipped pouches are a lot easier for most people to sew than a skirt and they are really just a nice touch. The real point is to raise money for these women and children." "Also there are some regulations against bringing large amounts of clothing into these countries when the representatives of the campaign visit." Added Andrea, in so many words.
We all have to start somewhere to make a better world. So why not try it?
I am urging you to stop over and sign up at Andrea's blog here.. She will be sharing tutorials on making the gifts and giving more information on how to get involved.
If you would like to get involved she also has a nifty button above you can post on your sidebar so others can learn about it.
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I've travelled all through S.E.A. and seen too much slavery as well. I had lived a lucky, sheltered life up to that point, but it moved me to get involved in any way I could. (I have a monthly giving plan, and I now work in a field that tackles gender and geographical imbalances.)
ReplyDeleteI love this kind of initiative for so many reasons: people often can't get their mind around a huge problem like slavery, and feel that if they can't solve the whole problem, they won't do anything. But every little thing makes a small change for someone, doesn't it? Better to start with small actions that to "keep someone in your thoughts and prayers" and then do nothing. Bravo to you for bringing it to our attention!
What a great post on such a horrible truth. You're right the news is often littered with "celebrity" news to keep us in the dark about issues like child prostitution. Have you read the book "Half the Sky". It is on this problem exactly. We need to help the women and children in the third world now. I'll definitely check out Andrea's blog. I also give to a Canadian charity - because I'm a girl.org - $20/mth sponsors a girl child to go to school (and pays her family a few bucks to make sure she continues to go) and keeps these children out of brothels.
ReplyDeleteHi Justine, the cdn charity is becauseiamagril.ca -sorry I was typing too fast. I've lived in both Canada and the US and no matter what anyone says it is easier for tax purposes to donate to a charity in your home country. The Education Charity for Cambodia is the US based charity that started this...http://www.caringforcambodia.org/about-us/faqs/
DeleteThank you so much for posting, Justine.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the sex slave trade is alive and well in the USA with girls who are US citizens. My daughter is a part of a group of kids at her high school called Backyard Broadcast, who want to bring to light this horrible problem. Backyard Broadcast is a national organization and I had no idea how big of a problem it was until my daughter started working with this group. Often we think that the problem isn't in our country but it is right here in our own backyards.
ReplyDelete