For more than 100 years, International Women's Day has put a spotlight onto issues affecting women around the world. Today, International Women's Day belongs to everyone who believes that women's rights are human rights. We Asked some of Free the Slaves’ leading...
January is Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Month in the U.S. It's an important opportunity to learn why slavery still exists, what can be done to end it, and how you can help. Thanks to the Lowenstein Sandler law firm, there's a one-hour video that will help you...
Great news! Your generous contributions to our “Everyone Deserves a Mask” campaign earlier this year helped us deliver vital COVID-19 personal protective equipment and nutrition parcels in the Dominican Republic, just in time for Christmas. Our Dominican Republic...
On this special Tuesday, people around the world will come together to celebrate generosity and make an impact. We hope you will share some love this holiday season with individuals and families going through tough times, including those trapped in modern forms of...
The things we buy are decisions we make about the world we want. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday gift-giving season beginning soon, it’s important to reflect on how everyday purchases can unknowingly fuel modern slavery and the racial inequality it...
Did you know that 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children? At 7 years old, Kwezi left his childhood home with expectations of a better life and more opportunities. But that was far from his reality. Instead, he was tricked by traffickers and was forced to work...
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...
Your generosity has changed lives around the world. The programs you support at Free the Slaves help people learn new skills and start microenterprises that build financial resiliency. Your contributions mean that slavery survivors are less likely to be re-enslaved,...
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...
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...
“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth.” Author William Faulkner’s thoughts about the value of standing up and speaking...
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...
It takes resilience to live in rural Nepal. Mountainous terrain and a lack of roads limit access to healthcare and education. Caste systems and violence against women and children create socioeconomic disparity. Dependence on agriculture and tourism limit the national...
There are few places on earth where it’s harder to stand up for human rights than Haiti. On this year’s Human Rights Day, we’d like to share an update about our courageous front-line activists there, who continue to fight child slavery even in times of national...
Every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment that provides opportunities for a decent future. It’s a fundamental value, self-determination. Unfortunately, thousands of children in Ghana are denied this basic principle of fairness. Instead, they are...
Today is the most important day of the year for social justice. Millions of people will contribute to organizations that make the world a better place. I’d like to take a quick moment to explain what you can accomplish by donating to Free the Slaves on #GivingTuesday:...
There's a lot of discussion about the social and economic impact of Black Friday and the holiday shopping rush. Last year, Americans spent over $1 trillion buying holiday gifts. But what if even a fraction of that holiday spending could also reduce poverty, promote...
Summer is over and kids are back to school. But not enslaved children. For them, each day brings a lesson in hardship and mistreatment. They have no school mates, no pep rallies, no recess. Just backbreaking work and beatings. That’s why Free the Slaves invests so...
Emmanuel endured years beneath the blistering sky of Ghana’s Lake Volta. As a child fishing slave, he faced the bare elements in a shoddy open boat. Sharp nets left deep cuts in his fingers. The blurry water left him fearful that he might not survive when forced to...
On this World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, you might be wondering if there's anything you can do to end modern slavery. Turns out, as a Free the Slaves supporter you're already doing a lot! The Free the Slaves rescue boat in Ghana liberates 15 children from...
When we visit villages that are targeted by traffickers, we see that modern slavery is, at its core, an economic crime. That's why we were thrilled to hear from an inspiring grandmother named Stella Abrokwah in Arkrah, Ghana. She explained how our Village Savings and...
When people map how modern slavery plagues their villages in the Dominican Republic, it’s a real eye opener. The simple drawing becomes a road map for freedom. Everyone in bondage is identified, and residents pledge to liberate every last woman, man and child. It...
As chair of the Free the Slaves board of directors, I want to personally let you know that a generous foundation this summer is increasing its support of our work. They’ll match dollar-for-dollar your summertime contributions, up to $100,000. It’s a unique opportunity...
My journey to becoming a human rights activist began while I was a high school. During holiday breaks, my classmates and I organized "Framing Camps" to benefit children in our neighborhood. Later, I had an opportunity to attend a child rights workshop and research...
The holiday of Passover has a foundational premise, based in biblical narrative and law: those who suffer enslavement have a unique insight and responsibility to help the vulnerable. As Exodus 23:9 declares: “Do not oppress the stranger, for you know the soul of a...
Sustainable fashion activist Amy DuFault is worried these days. Worried that the word feminist – and all it stands for – is under assault. That’s why she’s designed a new way to stand-up for women’s rights, loud and proud. For International Women’s Day, Amy and TS...
Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States, a key part of Trafficking Prevention Month. There are three simple things you can do right now to spread awareness that slavery still exists. It will only take one minute. Literally. Share the...
I dream of a world without slavery. I hope to see that world one day. I am writing to tell you my story because I hope it will prompt you to take action. There are so many people victimized by human trafficking just like I was. For me, it started with a dream about...
International development work can be tricky. Imagine building a school for 100 village children in Africa, but on opening day 20 desks are empty because those kids are enslaved at a mine. Disappointing, and tragic. That’s why we say that everything begins with...
Traffickers target people in financial trouble. When a medical crisis or other emergency strikes — like a fire, flood, drought, cyclone or earthquake — traffickers offer quick loans to desperate people who promise to “work it off.” When the borrower arrives at the job...
Traffickers steal more than a person’s labor and wages, they attack a victim’s basic humanity. They spit on the enslaved. They beat them. They’re assaulted sexually. The slaveholder’s goal: force people to give up hope. Our message to those is slavery is simple:...
People everywhere dream about a better future for their children. We all want them to have the education and opportunities necessary to lead fulfilling lives. For millions of families, those dreams aren’t possible. Traffickers promising schooling in return for easy...
Inequality is one of the major root causes of modern slavery. Traffickers thrive when women’s rights aren’t respected, when gender-based violence is ignored, when girls are denied education, and when people of different races, tribes, nationalities or social status...
There are no classrooms at the mines, plantations, fish camps or sweatshops where children are enslaved. Their schooling stops the moment slavery starts. That’s why your support in liberating child slaves makes such a difference. Freedom changes the trajectory of a...
Someplace warm and dry to sleep. It’s a basic necessity. But traffickers don’t care. They force the enslaved into ramshackle conditions fit for animals, not people. Your support of Free the Slaves changes that. I’ve seen firsthand how shelter begins with freedom. On...
Why support Free the Slaves on Giving Tuesday? One word: results. We do more than create awareness. We get the job done. Here are 10 ways your support makes an impact: Your support spreads freedom: We have liberated thousands of people from slavery and educated...
It’s the busiest shopping time of the year. We’re all familiar with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We’d like to introduce you to a different online opportunity: Shop for good Sunday. Free the Slaves and other groups have teamed up with our partners at DoneGood to...
By donating to Free the Slaves, you liberate people from bondage and put traffickers in jail. Our front-line activists guide police to farms, factories and mines on raids that liberate the enslaved and arrest slaveholders. We help survivors file court cases and...
Is your birthday coming up? If so, stop for a minute and think about this: becoming one year wiser can now translate into a child slavery survivor in Ghana being able to afford a school uniform. While you are free to decide how you want to celebrate your birthday, or...
Three square meals a day. It is fundamental for proper nutrition. But a nourishing breakfast, hearty lunch and wholesome dinner are distant dreams for people in slavery. They are typically fed just enough to stay alive to work another day. Donating to Free the Slaves...
Slavery stops innovation dead in its tracks. It keeps children out of school. It blocks entrepreneurs from access to credit. It steals a community’s wealth and labor and hope. Freedom brings creativity and positivity. This jumpstarts a village economy. People start...
Traffickers don’t care about the health of people they enslave. No doctor visits for those who fall sick. No vaccinations for children. No prenatal care for pregnant women. That’s why the work of Free the Slaves is so vital. We ensure that the people we liberate...
I am a descendant of slaves. Some of my ancestors were from Malaysia and Indonesia, brought to South Africa to work in the port of Cape Town. It always surprises Americans when I tell them that people were brought to Africa more than a century ago and enslaved....
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...
The reviews are in, and our 2018 Fashion for Freedom Event in New York is being heralded as a fantastic success. Scores of Free the Slaves supporters and ethical fashion advocates gathered in Manhattan for the uplifting evening. “The Fashion for Freedom Event was a...
Free the Slaves is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2018 Fashion for Freedom Award: Flor Molina, a survivor of modern slavery in Los Angeles who has become a champion for trafficking victims and survivor protection. Her inspiring journey from sweatshop slavery...
Countless friends and family ask me: “How can I tell if a company is using sustainable practices when I shop?” Let’s face it, the 40 hour workweek is a thing of the past for most people. And, who wants to spend their spare time researching corporate supply chains when...
Fashion trends at affordable costs: it attracts consumers, but what about the workers who make the clothes? While shoppers browse the aisles of big-brand on-trend clothing, millions are enslaved around the world in big-brand supply chains. That’s why Free the Slaves...
Being fashionable is easier today than ever. Companies produce clothing at an alarmingly fast rate for little cost to the consumer. The traditional four season cycle of fashion has expanded to new fashion lines being released monthly, giving rise to the fast fashion...
It’s here! Actually, it's been going on for a while, but for those of us who are behind the curve, it's not too late – you can still join the ranks. “We are a diverse community that includes board members who have been tackling sustainability and ethical fashion for...