Bloemfontein Courant‘s Care Bag Project has shown that our readers really do care. Since its launch at the beginning of the month, the reaction from companies and individuals has been overwhelming. The goal of the project is to help as many people in need as we can. We are asking our readers and clients to compile a Care Bag (Ziploc bag) containing toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap, a facecloth, R10 in an envelope, winter gloves and a scarf or a beanie. Any individual of any age who has a sincere desire can help. For more information on the project, send an email to christel@mahareng.co.za or maricelle@centralmediagroup.co.za.
The last organisation that will benefit from this project is End It SA.
End It SA is a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) fighting human trafficking and its main aim is to end sex slavery.
An estimated 27 million people are enslaved around the world today, which is more than any other time in history. Human trafficking is the second most lucrative criminal industry worldwide, after drug trafficking, bringing in approximately $150,2 billion annually.
Today’s slaves are forced into labour, service or sex slavery to make money for their “owners”. People who are trafficking drugs and weapons also realise that selling people is more profitable and less risky. People can be sold repeatedly. In the case of a sex slave it might be 10, 20 or more times a day. In labour slavery, goods and services are continually produced without compensating the labourer.
Slavery is simply involuntary servitude, but the law defines Human Trafficking or Trafficking in Persons (TIP), like this:
Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.
Labour trafficking is the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labour, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
End It SA’s vision is:
• To create a safe, healthy, non-judgemental environment for the detoxification and rehabilitation of the trafficked victims with the help of well-trained house mothers and medical staff.
• To help trafficked victims deal and recover from the trauma and abuse they experienced with the help of professional medical practitioners.
• To help victims regain their self-worth and self-respect.
• To give them the support and encouragement to dream and build their future through skills development and entrepreneurship.
• Ultimately, to reconcile these victims with their families and to reintegrate them into the community and empower them to live liberated lives, free from the bondage caused by human trafficking.
Get in touch with End It SA by calling 082-990-0947 or sending an email to zandri@enditsa.org.
