Going to Haiti With GVN

As you probably noticed, I took a small hiatus from blog updates, as I’ve been processing the learning’s from my Thailand trip to the safe house, and working out details of our tentative “go live” date of the official kick-off of the GVN Anti Trafficking Fund. Today, however, I’m going to take a slight departure from my regular blog entries with regards to the anti-trafficking movement, and focus on Haiti.

Seven seconds on January 12, 2010 made an impact on millions of lives – impact ranging from mass deaths, to 1.5 million estimated homeless in this Region. Like you, I was absolutely devastated by the news of the earthquake, and the tragic impact it has made on the Haitian people.

GVN, founded and headed by Colin Salisbury, is sponsoring a team of GVN relief specialists into Haiti this week (thanks to a private organization providing air support into Haiti). The recommendations coming from the initial assessment team will drive the GVN Haitian re-building/support volunteer projects for the next 12-18 months. Heading the relief team is Nadine McNeil (amazing woman), GVN Foundation Board Member who has over 20 years experience working in the UN, including a three year assignment in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami. Last week, I was asked by Nadine to accompany her with this team to Haiti. I feel absolutely privileged to serve in this way, and be part of this initial assessment team on behalf of GVN. It’s truly an honor to be working with an organization that has been so fast to act, and has committed time, money and resources to the rebuilding and support of Haiti.

That said, this blog entry will be my last one until I return. On the day of my departure, I’m overwhelmed with the images I’ve been seeing on CNN – the suffering on the ground, the unbelievable resilience of the Haitian people, and the support of the global community in the rebuilding and stabilization of this Region. It was mentioned to me by a GVN staffer who has been in contact with a Haitian NGO on the ground to “pretend we are going to the moon….there is no place on earth like it…” The Haitian people need us now and I’m prepared, along with GVN, to do everything in my power to provide support, in every capacity I can. I’m proud to be working alongside Colin, Nadine, her amazing crew to bring relief to Haiti, not just now, but over the long-term. Upon my return, I will also continue the work towards the Anti-Trafficking Fund. Expect BIG things for the ATF in 2010!

I urge you to help today so we can support the 3 million survivors in desperate need: http://www.gvnfundraising.org/cause/Haitidisasterrelief

Please help GVN raise further funds by spreading the word about the emergency appeal to your friends, family, and social networks. You can forward a link to our fundraising page (http://www.gvnfundraising.org/cause/Haitidisasterrelief ) in an email or Facebook message to let your family and friends know about the appeal. I also urge you to consider volunteering on the re-building/support projects through GVN.

Off to the airport. Ready to roll.


A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Day 4 - Stopping the Silence

Again, only one woman arrived this morning from the original crew on Monday. Two new "students" arrived at the center, and I only hoped they would come again tomorrow. Both of the new women today couldn't speak a lot of English, so the facility manager was helpful with translation. I learned that one women in her 40's was forced to take a job at the bar to repay a $10 loan she took out for her daughter to send her to school. She has been repaying it for over a year, and she still owes money. I'm speculating that her loan was from a pimp, whereby, interest never allows a woman to pay back the entire sum. Another woman new to the center today, wanted to go to school. School costs money, and without education and skills, she felt her options were limited.  She looked so young, and so sad. Never smiled.

I recall so many surreal moments from the day. At one point, we were all cooking in the kitchen in silence, when it was suddenly broken by the local Thai facility manager, in a spontaneous rendition of Silent Night. Haunting and beautiful. Later in the day, we all sat outside in the muggy heat, cross legged on a wooden platform enjoying sticky rice together. We all shared stories of how we came to the center, why we came to the center, and why it means something to us. Women from different backgrounds, cultures, economic status, professions. It was safe. Beautiful. Pure. Authentic. A sisterhood was formed. We are all the same, and I just happened to be the lucky one, born into a country where I was given an education and treated equally. These women have so much value and tremendous potential, but need a chance. Things we take for granted would be privileges for them. It was humbling and sobering.

What I learned:

• The Thai system perpetuates poor laborers rather than creating new wealthy consumers. They export food, clothing and other goods at the cheapest price (as that is what the developed world demands), and the West primarily exports money through tourists to Thailand (many, sex tourists). If we continue to demand cheaper and cheaper food items and clothing items, it will continue to force the wage of local workers down, limiting the number of well paying jobs for uneducated persons. We are part of the problem.
• The chauvinistic policy of boys receiving education more readily than girls places girls at an immediate disadvantage of finding meaningful employment.

I read a quote while I was traveling, and I regret to have not written down the author, but it captured so eloquently the situation of the women and girls in so many countries, forced into prostitution, submission and exploitation: 

"Too many women

From too many countries

Speak the same language

Of silence"

I must be the voice. We must be the change together.

Day 3 - Return to the Center

Today I was greeted at the center by a lovely local women who lived in the area, and had recently accepted employment to help with the overall management of the equipping center (and help translate for the foreigners who volunteered). I was disappointed to see that 2 of the women from yesterday didn't show up -- quite common according to the center workers. I can't imagine how hard it would be to turn off the exhaustion and disgust from the night before, and work in the kitchen for another 8-9 hours. I learned from a center worker that money was an issue -- the center could pay only a portion of the wage that a girl could make working in a bar in one night. If the expectation of these bar workers is to send home enough money to support her family, then the choice is simple. One of the women from Monday was already there when I arrived, however, diligently cleaning dishes. Her story is not uncommon. Her husband left her, and she needed to support herself, and her son who is a monk. How ironic that her son is working towards achieving nirvana, and his own mother is forced to be employed at a bar to support him? 

Later that afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit another safe house run by a local Thai woman, supported mainly through donars from Sweden. It was tucked away down several small side streets, located at the bottom of an apartment complex (pic insert). It was 2 stories high, and had a hairdressing training room, jewelery making room, and sewing room. The founder of the safe house told me they were saving one girl a month from the bars. One girl a month! This is huge -- because of what they are doing, one less girl is forced into prostitution because of their support and sustainable job skills they're providing.

Thus far, this trip has been a roller coaster of emotions. While still on a high from visiting the last center and hearing about the recovery rate, later that evening I saw a recovered girl from the first center this morning walking around with her 57 year old "boyfriend" from the U.K. She told us about him in the morning, but the story from the morning, and the reality staring at me, were 2 different things. She looked sad, and the boyfriend looked uncomfortable when approached by a fellow center worker. This is the problem with the recovery -- so many women due to low self esteem and self worth can be drawn back in with empty promises and a chance for a better life. The big question is -- how can we provide basic education and job training, along with addressing low self worth issues, which have been ingrained for a lifetime? Perhaps for generations?

Learning's from Day 3

• An optimal job training/support center would pay an equivalent salary to the income made in a bar. This almost guarantees that a girl won't be forced to make the hard decision to return to the bars. Perhaps there needs to be an incentive for a family to encourage the girl to stay with the centers' program?
• Emotional guidance/support really is an essential part of recovery -- education and job skills will only go as far as self worth will let a person go.

Another heavy and full day. I am encouraged by some of the first hand learning's I'm already capturing, though. These will be essential as GVN Foundation and myself choose a partner that addresses the issues and challenges I'm documenting.

Day 2 - First Visit to the Center

The sungtow arrived at 730 a.m, since the trek to the center was a good 20 minutes from the hotel. Interesting to see the world from the open back of a pick-up truck -- organized chaos of unruly traffic, tons of exhaust, and the morning in full swing. The road to the center was tranquil and swampy. After a couple minutes on a remote road, I see what looks like a palatial estate. Sprawling lawns, covered terraces and hand carved furniture create a peaceful, inviting environment. Upon approaching the door, I was greeted by the current facility manager (a fellow American), dedicating her time for several months to provide support and expertise to the facility. After a brief tour, 4 girls arrive looking tired and timid. All of the girls had been working at the bars the evening before, and dedicated their time to come to the equipping center during their sleeping hours to learn new skills, so one day they can transition jobs. 

Throughout the day, I learned bits and pieces from each of the girls. The most outgoing of the bunch told me that she was one of 5 girls, and that her mother and one of her sisters is dead. She was from a Northern hill tribe, and her Dad is dying of cancer. Her income from working in Chiang Mai helps support her family back home. My impression of all the girls that spent the day training and working at the center was that while they were physically and emotionally exhausted, they all had sweet, innocent demeanor's. How awful life dealt them this deck of cards. My task for the week was to work in this "equipping center," helping teach and refine culinary skills to the workers, giving them other job options in the future. Goods we make during the week will be sold to help support the center. 

Through conversations with the Executive Director later that day, he informed me that all of the bar workers he has encountered have endured some sort of trauma, neglect, or abuse prior to working in the bars. None have extensive education (hang onto that thought), so options are thought to be limited. I suppose if you couple limited options with lack of self esteem, prostitution seems like the only option. Surely the girls I met today have experienced great trauma and disrespect in their short life -- they all seemed so fragile. One thing they all had in common was a dead look in their eyes. 

While saddened by my meetings with these girls, I was encouraged by a full-time center worker that had begun employment outside of the bars about 6 months ago -- the program works! 

Later that night, I took a stroll down a couple infamous streets in Chiang Mai -- ones lined with open air bars, crawling with Western men and young local women. Bars front as brothels -- simple as that. Everyone knows it, it's accepted, and in a way, ignored. Walking down the streets, seeing the sad, dead eyes of the girls, saddened me enormously. No one wants to sell their body for money. Every single one of these girls/women felt they had no other choice, and they are violated everyday because of this decision. I just don't buy "voluntary prostitution." Lack of choices, education, and self esteem drive women to make this life changing decision.

Learning's from Day 2

• Education is key. Education is empowerment. I read it, and now I see it. Education gives individuals options. Options opens doors of opportunity, and an environment where women learn that their contribution to society can be so much more than servicing of men.
• Female equality is equally as important as eduction (but harder to directly effect from our end). My personal opinion is that Thailand will not be able to fully develop until 1/2 their population is valued.
• While the bar workers were earning money for their family, it was not offsetting the humiliation and emotional suffering they were enduring. 

I hope they come back tomorrow.

Day 1 - Arriving in Chiang Mai

20 hours after departing San Francisco, I land in Bangkok, humidity slapping me in the face. It's midnight, and I have 8 hours until my flight departs to my final destination, so I choose to run to a hotel to get a couple hours sleep. Eerie feeling as I get to my room, as there was a "reminder notice" by my bed stating that "sexual exploitation of children is illegal." Ok, seriously...a reminder notice? I hadn't even been in Thailand for an hour at that point, and already I'm understanding the scope of the issue around sex tourism and exploitation that I only read about before.

I arrive in Chiang Mai safely, and check into my hotel -- have to say, accommodations were a tad better than NE Romania, but not by much -- cigarette ashes in my sheets, body odour on the towels (not mine), and a location by a local brothel. Day turned into dusk, and on the eve of my first working day at the center, I took a walk to the longest street market (I was told) in SE Asia. Night in Chiang Mai isn't pretty -- seedy, dirty, air thick with humidity. The open "acceptance" of exploitation  was shocking. Sixty year old Western men with 15 year old Thai girls was the norm, and nobody seemed to notice or care. Street market ended up being nothing more than a reprisal of Slumdog Millionaire. Nestled between endless tables of scarves, trinkets and counterfeit goods, were blind boys singing for change, lines of disabled people begging for help, young mothers holding drugged babies begging for money, and young tribal girls dancing provocatively to Britney Spears. I suppose ignorance is bliss, since there were thousands of people passing by, not really seeming to notice. Le Parker Meridian shining high above the street, monks walking amongst us and invisible people everywhere. Week has hardly started, and my heart is already broken.

Forward - Trip to Chiang Mai

Like any great journey, I went into this one with one clear objective, and probably some preconceptions on what I'd see. Nine days later, I came out on the other end with some perceptions confirmed, but moreover, many surprises, heartache and hope. Chiang Mai is a city of contradictions. Organized chaos. A circus of humanity -- good, bad and ugly. I came to Chiang Mai to learn more about sex trafficking and the issues surrounding the sexual exploitation of women, and came away with a deeper understanding and first hand accounts of drivers, solutions, and the hypocritical nature of mankind. My thoughts and learning's of the issues surrounding sexual exploitation of women and children are weaved throughout this journal, and I'll be posting excerpts from my travels everyday, moving forward, for the next couple of days. I will say upfront that I did not come into contact with any women specifically trafficked for sex exploitation, but rather, women who were forced into a life of exploitation due to lack of choices, education, self esteem and trauma.

Context

Through some research, I've learned that 80% of girls working in the sex tourist industry in Thailand come from the hill tribes in Northeast Thailand. The culture and family value system of these tribes is that boys come first, at the expense of the girls. Boys are often the only recipient of education, often paid by from the girls' income that she brings into the family. Ironic how girls are deemed as not valuable enough to educate, yet they are expected to become the primary source of income for the family. My impression was that girls earn recognition and respect from her family by earning money. Without a solid education, her income sources dry up, and working in the bars becomes the primary "choice" for the girls vs. finding a place of meaningful employment.

I will not use names of the Americans I was working with, the bar girls I met, or the name of the training/support center, to respect the privacy and security of all involved. My entries will be general in terms of names and specifics that could inadvertently exploit the center/girls, but still provide my insights and learning's into the issue. 

While I saw extreme beauty in Thailand, I believe that many parts of the country will remain impoverished until they begin to value 1/2 of their society. As long as women, specifically from the Northeastern hill tribes, aren't valued and given the same opportunities as the men, this society will not reach it's full potential. 

I'll post "Day 1" tomorrow.

Today's the Day

Today is the day – off to work in a safe house for victims of sex trafficking, and truly begin my understanding, and hands-on experience, around this issue. On the eve of my travel to SE Asia, I pulled out a journal I kept when I went to Romania last year to work in an at-risk orphanage during December ’08. To tell you the truth, I haven’t opened that journal since I came home, since the experience was so raw on every level. I really haven’t had the stomach to do it. Well, for whatever reason, I took a break from packing and opened it up last night to re-live a pretty amazing awakening of myself, and one of the catalysts to drive me towards fighting for the vulnerable. While reading the journal, I was reminded that at the completion of everyday, I forced myself to write what I learned on that day. I had a tremendous amount of anger over the treatment of the children, and the oppression of the local people, but found myself in a quiet space every night, and able to reflect on what those experiences meant. Hours before I leave for Thailand, to be immersed in what I consider my life’s work, I am taken back to the lessons I wrote down in Romania, almost a year ago. For this blog entry, instead of speculating on my impending journey, I thought it might be interesting to reflect on my journey from last year. For all of you following this journey, or wanting to take a step into the unknown, and be part of the solution, consider these personal lessons I learned on my last trip that are so important to embrace when working and volunteering abroad:

· As different as cultures and countries seem, fundamentally, every person is the same -- everyone wants, and deserves, to be loved.
· Risk is a necessity to reach ones potential
· It’s not what you look at, but what you see
· Live in the present
· Patience is a virtue
· Enjoy simple things in life – you will be happier
· Never be quick to judge
· Happiness is in the connections you make, not the things you’ve acquired

While I cannot blog while I am working at the safe house, I promise to take copious notes, and will blog a journal entry, per day, upon my return. We live in a country where we have a voice, and we know about the atrocities being committed against the vulnerable. It is my, and your, obligation to give the women and children survivors of sex trafficking a voice. A chance. Another view of life, where they know what security, vulnerability and love feel like. Talk to you in a couple of weeks.