Free the Slaves is grateful to welcome Fanta Toure-Puri and Moninda Marube to our board of directors.
Free the Slaves Welcomes New Board Members
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FTS Updates
Free the Slaves Partners with Three New Organizations in Vietnam
Free the Slaves is excited to announce our new partnerships in Vietnam. These partnerships will allow us to understand more about the country and its need to have more players in the human trafficking space. These partnership endeavors are essential for developing...
FTS Executive Director Expresses Support for Panagtapok 2022
There is power in the collaboration and action of dedicated leaders to address societal issues. This was clearly achieved when more than 200 leaders from the Philippines gathered together in the Panagtapok 2022 (which translates to 'a gathering' in English). The event...
Omicron Variant Postpones Annual Freedom from Slavery Forum
Due to the sharp rise in cases and uncertainty associated with the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, Free the Slaves is announcing the postponement of the global Freedom from Slavery Forum in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Forum, scheduled for December 5-8, would have...
A Year of Crisis and Innovation
It has been one year since the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 is a global pandemic. The worldwide health and economic crises have made modern slavery worse. As livelihoods have been disrupted, people have taken loans that will trap them in debt...
Three New Staffers Join Expanding FTS Staff
FTS is happy to announce that three new staffers have joined the global staff today, expanding our reach and impact. "I am excited to welcome our talented three new colleagues that join our FTS family," said FTS Executive Director Bukeni Waruzi. "As part of our global...
Can You Envision a World Free from Slavery?
This has been a challenging year, but we know that 2021 holds the promise of renewal. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made racial inequality and modern slavery worse, the recovery will provide an opportunity for a global reset. We do not need to repeat the inequities...
Why We Produced Free the Slaves’ Untold Story
522 Productions is proud to assist Free the Slaves as the winner of the #untoldstory nonprofit video contest, launched in July 2019. 522 Productions is an award-winning video production company committed to driving social change through the videos we create. As we...
Free the Slaves and the Rights Lab Form New Partnership to Combat Modern Slavery
On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, two of the world’s leading antislavery institutions are proud to announce a new partnership to merge research, community activism and global advocacy. Free the Slaves, headquartered in the U.S., and the Rights...
New Members Strengthen FTS Board of Directors
Free the Slaves is honored that two exceptional anti-trafficking experts have agreed to join our board of directors. Davina Durgana and Karen Stauss will help shape innovative anti-slavery strategies as we enter our third decade as an organization. Davina Durgana is...
FTS Solidarity Statement on Racial Violence and Justice in the United States
On behalf of Free the Slaves, we stand in solidarity with the growing global outcry against racial violence and for racial justice in the United States. Free the Slaves is appalled by the ongoing systemic injustices directed at Black people and other people of color...
Freedom Forward
It is a great honor for me to become the next chair of the board of directors for Free the Slaves, one of the founding and leading organizations of the global movement against modern slavery. I am grateful to my dear friend and predecessor, Dan Elkes, whose uncommon...
Steps on the Journey to a World Free from Modern-Day Slavery
There was a time when people were unaware that slavery continues on in the world, that the buying and selling of people had stopped with the United States Civil War and legislation by countries around the world. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Free the Slaves...
FTS Announces New Board of Directors Chair
A new chair has been elected to lead the Free the Slaves board of directors. Professor Timothy Patrick McCarthy, Ph.D., is an award-winning scholar, educator, activist and public servant. He holds a joint faculty appointment at Harvard University, where he is Core...
COVID-19 Impact on Communities Plagued by Slavery
I hope that you and your family are healthy and safe during these difficult times. I am reaching out to you today to share about how the Covid-19 global pandemic is affecting communities where slavery makes people especially vulnerable to disasters and financial...
Global Freedom One Community at a Time
Dear Friends and Supporters, I write this letter as I shelter in place amidst the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. The close tethering to our homes underscores the importance of communities even in today’s hyperconnected world. Likewise, eliminating slavery...
Dealing With the Present, Preparing for What Comes Next
The countries where Free the Slaves works (Ghana, India, Haiti, Nepal and Dominican Republic) have not reached peak level in the COVID-19 pandemic. But it is affecting them all, directly or indirectly. And we know from experience that every crisis has an aftermath....
This is Where Freedom Started
Visiting the front lines of modern slavery is a deeply emotional experience. As I write to you today from Northern India, my heart is filled with hope and joy. That’s because of the joy of freed bonded laborers I have met and the progress that has been made in their...
20 Years of Fighting for Freedom
The year 2020 brings several important anniversaries. It’s the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Palermo Protocol, the landmark treaty to confront modern forms of slavery worldwide. It’s the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the...
Our Rights Make Us Human
Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt once observed that “the future belongs to those who believe in their dreams.” At Free the Slaves, we dream of a future where everyone is free from slavery. Roosevelt believed in that dream too. Freedom from slavery is near the top...
Thankful That We All Value Freedom
As the new executive director at Free the Slaves, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the values that motivate me in the historic struggle to end slavery forever. They are values that drive all efforts to foster social justice. I am certain they are things that...
Bukeni Tete Waruzi Joins Free the Slaves as Executive Director
Free the Slaves is thrilled to announce that a courageous advocate for the rights of women and children has joined the organization as executive director. Bukeni Tete Waruzi has helped put a Congolese warlord behind bars, has helped women trafficked into domestic...
Situation Report from Haiti
You may have seen in the news that the situation is tense in Haiti, where Free the Slaves operates a field program in partnership with Beyond Borders. We thought you might want to hear the latest news from David Diggs of the team. It’s been a difficult year in Haiti,...
522 Productions Will Help FTS Share our #UntoldStory
WASHINGTON, September 24, 2019 (Newswire.com) – 522 Productions is proud to announce Free the Slaves as the winner of the nonprofit video contest, launched in July 2019. 522 Productions is an award-winning video production company committed to driving social change...
ED Search: Leading FTS into our 20th Year and Beyond
Free the Slaves is seeking a new executive director to lead one of the modern anti-slavery movement’s oldest and best-known organizations. Our mission remains resolute: liberating the enslaved and changing the conditions that allow slavery to exist. Our new executive...
FTS Programs Help Lift Two Countries in 2019 Trafficking Report
Good news today from the U.S. State Department. Both Haiti and Senegal have been removed from the Tier Two Watch List in the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, an indication that the governments of both countries are increasing their efforts to combat human...
Leadership Transition
Colleagues, We write to advise you of a leadership transition at Free the Slaves. Maurice Middleberg, Executive Director of Free the Slaves, has advised the Board of his intention to step down from his role, which he has held since 2013. After due consideration, we...
Everything Starts With Freedom
You probably take many of life’s essentials for granted. A good education. A nourishing dinner. A clean drink of water. A visit to the doctor. A safe place to sleep. These basics are denied to people in slavery. That’s why your support to liberate the enslaved is...
See our 2017 Annual Report Online
Transparency and accountability. They are two guiding principles of Free the Slaves, and the reason why we publish a detailed report every year about our activities, impact and financial health. The theme of our most recent annual report is "Communities, Counterparts...
Special Ghana Field Report: Child Trafficking No Longer Tolerated
I am in Ghana this week with news to share that just can’t wait, so I’m writing directly from the field. The work you support has transformed villages where child trafficking used to be common. I’ve just seen it firsthand. It takes time to reach Dzilakope, a remote...
India Sex Slavery Survivor Shelter Hits Milestone, But Needs Help
On this International Women’s Day, I’d like to share a remarkable success story. More than 200 women and girls have now restarted their lives at our Punarnawa Ashram for sex slavery survivors in India. The ashram’s residents have endured unspeakable brutality before...
Four Remarkable New FTS Board Members
An organization's personality and reputation start at the top. That's why Free the Slaves is thrilled to welcome four astounding new members this year to our board of directors. Their diverse backgrounds and skills will shape the direction and effectiveness of our...
Rejecting Racism, Strengthening our Bonds
Every day, the staff of Free the Slaves works in solidarity with local partners and communities to help bring about a more just world. We do so in Haiti, in several countries in Africa, and in Asia. Every day, our staff manifests tremendous dedication and skill. Every...
FTS Board Launches Special Funding Challenge
Double Your Impact - Donate Today Dear Friends of Free the Slaves, We’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to making the work of Free the Slaves possible. Your donations are spreading freedom to thousands of people around the globe. All of us on the board...
Hurricane Irma Threatens Haiti
Hurricane Irma continues to move towards Haiti as a Category 5 storm. Puerto Rico is already feeling the effects, with 15 -20 foot storm surges expected in some coastal communities. It is being described as the strongest Atlantic hurricane in history, with winds...
Positioning FTS for Global Impact
Question: What do you call 26 smart, dedicated, energized, motivated and passionate human rights activists gathered together in one room? Answer: a global force for freedom! That’s the takeaway message from our 2017 all-staff retreat, which wrapped up Friday. Two...
More than 1,000 People Freed From Slavery
Our 2016 annual results demonstrate that Free the Slaves liberates people from slavery and changes the conditions that allow slavery to persist. We’re not only helping people break free, we’re ensuring they stay free and nobody takes their place in bondage. Here is a...
Six Inspiring FTS Donors Exemplify the Spirit of Giving
The season of giving is close at hand. In celebration of the spirit of community , Free the Slaves is spotlighting some of most inspiring donors in our original film series, “Why I Free Slaves.” These short profiles tell the deeply personal stories of people who...
Farewell to a Human Rights Champion
Today is both a sad day and a proud moment for Free the Slaves. We are saddened to bid farewell to Karen Stauss, who has directed our field programs and advocacy efforts for the past six years. But it’s also a proud moment because Karen has been asked to join the...
2016 Freedom Award: Fighting Bonded Labor in India or Nepal
Nominations are now open for the 2016 Free the Slaves Freedom Awards. Free the Slaves will award a U.S. $10,000 prize to an organization registered India or Nepal that is implementing an innovative “scalable” approach to ending bonded labor in India or Nepal. A...
A Farewell to an Anti-Slavery Pioneer
We end this week at Free the Slaves on a bittersweet note, because yesterday was the final day on the job for one of the tireless activists who started this organization more than 15 years ago, Supriya Awasthi.Actually, Supriya has been a part of our history and...
Meet the 2016 Summer Interns!
Free the Slaves is thrilled to welcome the largest and most dynamic group of summer interns we've ever had!We've asked each to say a bit about themselves and why they've chosen Free the Slaves. MONITORING, LEARNING & EVALUATION ALANA JONESWhere are you going to...
New 30-min Film Takes you Face to Face with Slavery
Today we are thrilled to release a poignant new film that features the work of Free the Slaves around the world. Two extraordinary volunteers journeyed to the front lines of slavery to meet survivors and activists. Their film uncovers the brutality of hidden slavery...
Exciting Updates at Free the Slaves Board
Free the Slaves is thrilled to share the news that two outstanding individuals joined our board of directors this spring.Carolyn Long is an independent consultant, focusing on evaluation, research and capacity strengthening to improve roles of non-governmental...
Meet the FTS Fun(d) Raisers!
Meet our development team and learn a little more about who we are and why Free the Slaves matters to us!Katherine Carey: Special Projects OfficerWhy this mission matters to me: I still remember the shock I experienced when my mom, a career-long criminal prosecutor,...
You’ve Made our 15th Birthday a Huge Success
Our 15th anniversary year comes to a close in just a few days. It’s been a remarkably successful year.Our front-line anti-slavery programs have crossed two important benchmarks: freeing more than 10,000 people from slavery and educating more than 100,000 to prevent...
New Animated Video: Our Formula for Freedom
It takes more than passion and indignation to eradicate the evil of slavery. It takes science. That’s why Free the Slaves has developed our Community Based Model for Fighting Slavery. It’s a four-step formula that guides our work to bring entire communities from...
15 Reasons You Should Donate to Free the Slaves
This year marks 15 Years of Fighting for Freedom at Free the Slaves. In that spirit, I’d like to share 15 reasons that you should donate to our organization in this special anniversary year.We free slaves. We have liberated more than 10,000 people so far. With your...
New Free the Slaves Online Store Opens for Business
We’re happy to launch a new feature on the Free the Slaves website this week: our new online store! We have identified great gift ideas for yourself or your friends.To start: T-shirts with the Free the Slaves logo. They’re a great way to get conversations started...
15 Years of Fighting for Freedom: See New Timeline of FTS Highlights
This year marks our 15th birthday and two important milestones. In 15 years, we have helped free more than 10,000 people from slavery, and we’ve educated more than 100,000 vulnerable villagers to help prevent their enslavement. You made that possible. Your...