Money and Economy
A Bite of Justice Pie
Published August 23, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
Pie is delicious. Now that's a statement few would argue with. What's also delicious is everyday people taking something they love and using it to free slaves all over the world. Joanne Kaattari has managed to combine both these delicious things into The Justice Pie Project, a fundraiser to help victims of modern-day slavery. You can read more about her project here.
Joanne encouraged her family and community to come together and bake pies while learning about human trafficking. They then sold the pies and raised over $300 for the International Justice Mission, an anti-trafficking organization. Hence, the Justice Pie Project. It's such a simple idea, and in its simplicity is its brilliance.
I love this project, and not just because I love pie. I love it because it has all the ingredients of a great abolistionist fundraiser and activity.
- Start with what you know: Joanne knows pie. Maybe you know ballet or dinosaurs or public speaking or Spanish or origami. Whatever your set of skills, I guarantee you there is a way you can use those to help free slaves and end human trafficking. You don't have to be a professional fundraiser or a policy wonk to make a difference- just someone who chooses to use their talents for a good cause.
- Tap into your community: Human trafficking is a global issue, but ending it is a local one. Start with your family, your nextdoor neighbors, or another pre-made community you're a part of. It's mush easier to get friends on board to end slavery than strangers.
- Think big: Sure, Joanne could have just donated the money she spent on pie ingredients directly, but it would have been a lot less than $300! Plus, now her community knows about the issue and is inspired to act too. By starting a fundraiser in your community, you exponentially increase your impact because you're impacting those around you.
The moral of this tasty story? If you can bake pie, you can free slaves. And if you can write or dance or organize or run or think, you can help end human trafficking. And that is far more delicious than even an a la mode slice of freshly baked pie.
In Recession, Fearful Workers Keep Quiet About Exploitation
Published August 03, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT
Undocumented (or documented) immigrant workers being exploited at work is sadly nothing new. But in today's economy, many of the workers who previously might have spoken up about workplace abuse or exploitation are now keeping their heads down and their lips shut for fear of losing their jobs.
New America Media tells the story of Clemente Rodriguez, a documented immigrant who works 14 hour days in a shoe store in New York City. Despite the fact that New York just raised their minimum wage from $7.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour, Clemente only get $35 a day for his work. He should be making at least $101.50.
Clemente, like many other migrant and immigrant workers, is being exploited by his employer. And now he's got a tough choice to make: file a legal complaint and risk losing a job he can't replace or suck it up and take the exploitation. Clemente's thoughts are,
I know that it is important and it will help us someday. It is good for the government's record, but not for my family. If I don't have a job, what will happen now? I think it's still better to have a small income, overcome my hardships, and make sure that I'll bring food to our table.
Clemente's specific case may not legally rise to the level of human trafficking since he is free to leave his job, though, arguably has no other reasonable options. However, one technique traffickers use to keep workers enslaved is to pay them something small instead of stealing all their wages. Especially in times of recession like this one when employment can be extremely hard to come by, workers like Clemente might decide that $2.50 an hour is better than nothing.
Think about what you would put up with to keep your current job in this economy. Would you take a cut in pay or benefits? Would you put up with your boss grabbing your ass or making lewd comments? Could you handle being paid less than is legal?
Now think about what someone who is truly desperate to keep a job would put up with in order to feed his or her family and stay in the U.S. Wage theft? Sexual assault or rape? Slavery?
It's a tough market for everyone, but even tougher for those who must keep their current job at any cost, no matter how terrible.
Image from outdoors.webshots.com
The Body Shop Fights Child Sex Trafficking with..... Lotion?
Published July 30, 2009 @ 12:14PM PT
Out of all the things I thought would one day be a great tool to prevent child sex trafficking, I never would have picked hand creme. But then again, I'm not an entrepreneurial and humanitarian genius like The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick.
The Body Shop, which is based out of the UK, will soon launch their "Soft Hands, Kind Heart" cream, which is a silky hand lotion infused with fair trade organic olive oil. I have been fortunate to try this lotion out already and it's wonderful (much like other Body Shop products). Over 50% of the proceeds of this new lotion will go to programs to prevent child sex trafficking. Specifically, the money will go to support ECPAT and the Somaly Mam Foundation, both of whom work directly with survivors of child sex trafficking and who create prevention programs for girls at risk.
As of yet, the lotion does not seem to be available at Body Shop stores in the U.S. Update: The lotion is now available at stores across the U.S. as well as online. However, you can order it online here. The campaign is set to formally launch in 60 countries, including the U.S., on August 3. So hopefully by the first week in August, you can stroll into your local Body Shop and buy a tube of awesome lotion to help prevent child sex trafficking.
Microsoft, NGO Train Trafficking Survivors in IT Skills
Published July 24, 2009 @ 06:50AM PT
In the Philippines, human trafficking survivors are being given far more than just a safe place to sleep at night. With the help of Microsoft and local NGOs, they are being training in cutting edge IT skills to help them find good jobs and avoid future trafficking.
The IT training program is a partnership between the Visayan Forum Foundation and Microsoft Philippines, and is funded by an Unlimited Potential grant from the latter. Trafficking victims who are rescued by the Visayan Forum undergo training to develop leadership skills and interpersonal communication skills, in addition to their practical IT skills. The goal is to improve their knowledge base and their overall professional capabilities to make them more marketable as workers in the country's mainstream workforce.
Having a marketable skill set can help make vulnerable populations less vulnerable to trafficking and prevent survivors from being re-trafficked. In global economy where even college graduates and professionals are having a difficult time finding work, those without access to education face even more dire financial situations. Many of the skill-building programs which anti-trafficking programs promote are based on manual labor or artisan skills. While those are certainly valuable, IT training can make a survivor especially marketable in the workforce.
Microsoft has repeatedly proved to be a friend and supporter of the abolitionist movement. But this program really shows the innovation of which they are capable.
The All-You-Can-Screw Buffet At Danish Brothels
Published July 23, 2009 @ 08:06AM PT
It's tough economic times all over the world, and if the all-you-can-eat buffet is the answer for the struggling restaurant industry, then why not the "all-you-can-screw" promotion in Danish brothels?
This issue recently came to the attention of an anti-trafficking organization when five Eastern European women were forced to participate in this offer at a suburban brothel outside of Copenhagen. The women were forced to perform unlimited sex acts for 900 Kroners (or $170). The organization was tipped off to the situation when a customer complained how little the women were being paid.
Prostitution, like most industries, is seeing an increase in customers looking for a bargain as unemployment rates remain high all over the world. To attract more customers and fetch a higher price, some women have had to offer to engage in acts which they refused to engage in before because they are demeaning or dangerous.
This trend of discount prostitution is frightening, because it indicates a rise in children in prostitution, women in prostitution against their will, and women being abused and controlled by pimps. As prostitution prices drop and discounts like the "all-you-can-screw" package become more popular, the few women in prostitution who control their own prices and work will be pushed out by the cheaper and likely trafficked competition. In the same way diners looking for a discount may be visiting a Golden Corral rather than a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, prostitution customers may choose the $30 Ukrainian woman over the more expensive Dutch woman. Chances are the former is cheaper because she's not really keeping that money.
All-you-can-eat buffets may be cheap, but they're not really that good or that good for you. All discounts have a price, and prostitution is no exception.
Image from rageagainstthemachine.com
5 Fun Summer Fundraisers
Published July 19, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
If you've been thinking about hosting a fundraiser for your local anti-trafficking organization, summer is the time to do it. The warm weather, long days, and general happy feeling many people have make this season ideal to raise up some awareness and cash for the issues you care about. Here are five ideas for fun summer fundraisers:
1. Host a Block Party: A lot of neighborhoods have block parties anyway in the summer, so why not turn this into an opportunity to help human trafficking victims? Try charging an entrance fee for all-you-can-eat hotdogs or creating a special cocktail or mocktail which people can buy. If you live in an apartment building or an area without a block, host an open house instead. Either way, you can spend the summer getting to know your neighbors and raising money.
2. Play Baseball with a Twist: How much would your friends pay to see you play baseball? How much would they pay to see you play baseball in a tutu? A charity baseball/softball game can take on a new life when you add silly costumes or props. It's a fun way to be silly while seriously raising money for a serious issue.
3. Create a Overflow Garden Sale: If you have a garden, then by August you might be ready to never see another cucumber again! Why not find a few friends with gardens, get together, sell the overflow, and donate the proceeds? The only think better than home grown vegetables is home grown vegetables that help free slaves.
4. Challenge Friends to an All-Day Aqua-Thon: The local pool is a great summertime asset. You can set up a full afternoon of water-related games and challenges. Participants pay an entrance fee and win a trophy or bragging rights. The money goes to your charity of choice, hopefully before it gets too wet.
5.Host a Seasonal Auction: An auction, silent or live, can be even more fun when it's full of summer goodies. Think about theming your items to summer- flip flops, strawberry pies, etc. People love to buy things they can use right away.
Hopefully, these ideas inspire you to have a fun summer and raise some serious cash for human trafficking victims.
How to Get a Job in Anti-Trafficking
Published July 11, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
I won't lie- the job market can be brutal right now. And if you're a young (or not especially young) person trying to break into the anti-trafficking field for the first time, it's pretty frustrating. So here are a few tips for how to get a job in the anti-trafficking movement.
Develop an Expertise: If you don't have general expertise in human trafficking, consider developing a very specific, focused, and narrow expertise in the field. If you become an expert on child sex tourism in South America or Chinese women in domestic servitude or human trafficking legal reform in Africa, your specific knowledge may be highly demanded. Expertise helps you stand out from the crowd and shows you're serious about the issue.
Volunteer or Intern: If you don't have any experience working with human trafficking issues, volunteer or intern with an organization that does the sort of work you're interested in. Even if all you can manage is a few hours a week, simply having that experience on your resume will make you a much more desirable candidate for an anti-trafficking NGO.
Nurture a Flexible Skill Set: Many anti-trafficking NGOs are small, so your flexible and diverse skill sets will be appreciated. Basic skills, like being able to write, communicate, and organize will transfer well into any job. Even if you have a specific skill set, such as media/communications, be able to do a number of activities within that area. Small NGOs appreciate staff who can fill a number of roles.
Get on Jobs for Change and Idealist.org: While you may find some anti-trafficking jobs posted on sites like Monster.com, most will be on social justice focused job sites. I recommend Jobs for Change and Idealist as two of the best resources for job seekers.
Network: Even in the nonprofit world, who you know matters as much (and sometimes more) than what you know. So attend events where you can meet people who have the sorts of jobs you want. Learn about their organizations and work. Get your foot in the door. The relationships you build may be the key to your next job.
Image from biojobblog.com
