What is a child’s life really worth? You and I know it’s priceless. But the truth is, traffickers put a price tag on children.
Two-year-old Tola’s price was just $165. His mom abandoned him and his teenage brother, leaving them in the care of their father. Tola’s dad was making about $2.60 a day pushing a cart near the border of Thailand. When Tola became ill, his dad couldn’t afford medicine and was desperate.
Tola’s dad borrowed money at such a high interest rate, he couldn’t repay it. The loan sharks at the Thai market convinced him to sell Tola to them, promising to give him a percentage of the earnings his toddler would receive from begging. Little Tola was passed from one adult beggar to another until he was rescued by the police.
Thank God Tola is now being cared for in a World Concern-sponsored safe haven, awaiting placement in a loving foster home. But there are many other children still trapped in slavery.
Can you imagine being forced to make the grim decision to sell your child? These children become enslaved to criminals who peddle them like merchandise in the sex trade. Some children end up as beggars. Some work day after day as laborers.
Right now, you can make a huge impact. Your donation will be doubled. Two passionate advocates have stepped up to match your gift. Every dollar you give will be doubled up to $50,000. That means $50 becomes $100, $100 becomes $200, and so on.
Donate now to help protect innocent children like Tola from becoming enslaved.
Your donation will make a difference through our proven approach:
Awareness Training – Through classes in villages, called School on a Mat, children learn about child abuse, traffickers’ scams, and their rights as children. We have seen children come away from these classes with the courage and knowledge to report their abusers and find safety.
Education – Through our program, children who would otherwise not be in school are given a basic education in an outdoor classroom right in their village or neighborhood. We also provide them with school supplies and an open door to further their education in a government school.
Job Skills – It is a harsh reality in many poor countries that children must work to help support their families. This need is often what puts them at risk for being lured by false promises of lucrative jobs. We teach children marketable skills such as motorcycle repair and jewelry making, so they can earn income safely. This is done in conjunction with awareness training and education.
When we first met Oury, Navin and Pandey in Cambodia, they spent their days unsupervised, collecting anything valuable from the city dump, and selling the items for a small profit. The boys were malnourished and at great risk for being trafficked.
With the help of donors, the lives of these boys transformed. Read their story and see pictures of them now. Prevention works.
The realities of the sex trade among trafficked women and children:
You can help protect innocent children in places like Thailand and Cambodia, where human slavery is rampant. With your donation, you are making an immediate impact, permanently changing the direction of a child’s life.
Your gift will:
World Concern is a Christian humanitarian organization that focuses on sustainable development for the poor in Africa, Asia and the Americas. We work in some of the world's most remote places, offering life, opportunity and hope to nearly 6 million people a year in the name of Christ.
Learn more about us at www.worldconcern.org.
