Organizations Who are Making a Difference
Sometimes the very best thing we can do from living so far removed from these areas, is to support the teams on the ground who are dedicated to making a difference.
I was fortunate enough to see first hand the amazing work being done by two such organizations:
How Can I Help?
As I talk to people about modern day slavery, the most common question I get is "How Can I Help"? Its a good question and one that I have spent a lot of time thinking about. It is a difficult question to answer, however, as most of us feel the issue is too big or too far away. "How can just one person in a location so far removed from the issue help?"
The reality is that Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking is everywhere.
Even developed countries like the US have human trafficking issues; the US Justice Department estimates 17,500 people are trafficked into the US every year. The University of California at Berkeley, working with the Free the Slaves non-profit organization, found that about 46% of people in slavery in the United States are forced into prostitution.
So, here is my 4-step approach to answer the question "How Can I Help?":
STEP 1: Be aware of the issue
Learn about what is happening. I put a lot of sites into the "Organizations" page on this website as these sites have posted tremendous amounts of data on this issue.
STEP 2: Make some noise
Raise awareness in others. Talk to people. Write to government officials. Put pressure on businesses.
STEP 3: Support organizations on the ground
The power a few dollars can make to these people is huge! There are also volunteer opportunities with many different organizations. Look at the "Organizations" page as a place to start.
STEP 4: Stop indirectly supporting the slave industry
We all are unconsciously active participants in the slave industry, which is a multi-billion dollar industry. We indirectly support it by the purchase of cheap goods whose roots may be in slave labor or bonded labor factories.