Free the Slaves convened a high-level strategic meeting in Dakar to confront the rising crisis of sexual exploitation in the gold mining zones of Kédougou. The gathering brought together Senegalese authorities, international partners, and regional experts to strengthen coordination, accelerate protection efforts, and ensure survivor-centered support for the hundreds of girls and women affected. This meeting marks a critical step toward a unified, urgent response to a rapidly escalating humanitarian issue.

Free the Slaves Philippines recently joined government agencies and civil society partners in a national workshop to review and strengthen the guidelines that prohibit hazardous work for children. As emerging forms of labor and new risk environments continue to evolve, this review is a critical step in ensuring that protections remain relevant, enforceable, and firmly centered on the rights and safety of children. Through our participation, Free the Slaves reinforced its commitment to supporting policies that prevent exploitation before it begins and uphold every child’s right to a safe and healthy future.

Mr. Bachelal, once trapped in bonded labor, turned his experience into empowerment through Free the Slaves’ Community Liberation Initiative training. Equipped with a deeper understanding of labor rights, legal frameworks, and advocacy, he used his learning to secure the release of five workers held in forced labor—and to begin mentoring them into survivor leaders themselves. His story is a testament to the transformative power of knowledge: when survivors are informed and connected, they not only reclaim their freedom—they help ensure others never lose theirs.

Ten young Nigerian women trafficked to Senegal have returned home through a coordinated repatriation mission led by Free the Slaves and partners. Their journey marks not just a return, but a renewal—demonstrating how survivor-centered support, cross-border collaboration, and sustained community mechanisms continue to create pathways from exploitation to empowerment, long after projects formally close.

In Lubumbashi, at the heart of the DRC’s mining region, Free the Slaves (FTS) and Alternatives Plus brought together civil society, government, and mining industry stakeholders for a two-day training on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7. The sessions equipped local actors with tools to identify, prevent, and eliminate child and forced labor in artisanal mining—turning global commitments into grassroots action.

Survivors of slavery are not just reclaiming their own freedom—they are leading the charge to protect others. In August 2025, Free the Slaves hosted a two-day training in India as part of our Community Liberation Initiative, equipping survivor leaders with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to prevent exploitation in their communities. From learning the roots of modern slavery to developing strategies for awareness and advocacy, participants demonstrated the power of transformation: once victims, now champions for change. Their stories show how one empowered life can spark freedom for many more.