The partnership with GVNF was born back in June when I was fortunate enough to spend a week at the Be The Change social entrepreneurship course, led by the Founder of Global Volunteer Network, Colin Salisbury.
I came to the course knowing two things -- 1) I have zero tolerance for injustice, and 2) I can't imagine a more heinous crime than sex trafficking and sexual slavery of children and women. Colin, and the Executive Director of the Foundation (Courtney Montague) shared my passion, and the framework of the GVN Anti-Trafficking Fund was born. The development of this Fund is already proving to be a journey which has, and will, be a vehicle to meet like minded people refusing to ignore the growing epidemic of sex trafficking. I know my research and travels will expose me first hand to the atrocities of sex trafficking, and the strength and resilience of the survivors.
Progress has already been made through the identification of potential partner organizations, and a upcoming site visit to a safe house in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We intend to build a sex trafficking awareness campaign, give a platform to hero organizations, and raise money to support specific programs providing assistance, job training and rehabilitation to the survivors of sex trafficking/slavery.
Never before has one of my favorite quotes rang so true:
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
I'm ready to be the change.
I could have made some kind of comment on almost every one of your posts, Andrea, but I've stayed here reading (and captivated) much longer than I had planned (**smile**), so for now, I'll say just this -- because you are "being the change" you'd like to see in the world, today I feel I've been changed a bit, too. Thanks. Randy
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