Diana Scimone

Can one person make a difference? (Yes.)

A few months ago Jon Swanson (@jnswanson) told his sister Jill Burton-Carr (@NicKicks2010) about the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.

Jill has shops on Etsy and Artfire.com where she sells her beautiful hand-crafted creations to raise funds for various charities--a neighbor battling leukemia, a friend who adopted a little girl from China who needed several surgeries, and more.

When Jill learned about Born2Fly, she wrote me, "I am horrified by the plight of children all over the world (including the US) who are victimized by power and greed and sin and humanity at its worst" -- and she came up with a way to help.

Jill created 3 beautiful pieces of jewelry to sell on her Etsy site and is donating all the proceeds (minus a little for expenses) to Born2Fly.

 

You can learn more about -- and purchase -- Jill's beautiful jewelry at www.Etsy.com/shop/NicKicks and at Artfire.com.

Jill took what she knew how to do and turned it into something that will help stop the traffic.

What do you already know how to do that can do the same?

 

Test phase of B2F Project expands to more countries

Great news: We're expanding the test phase of the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. Many of the organizations around the world that I wrote about here have agreed to test the anti-trafficking curriculum and wordless book in their countries.

• So far we have commitments from Bulgaria to teach B2F at a summer camp for kids. Child trafficking is huge in eastern Europe, so this is a great place to reach kids before the traffickers do.

• And the safe house in northern Thailand that I wrote about here will also test the materials this summer. This is where the "black van...goes around neighborhoods stealing children."

• In the Philippines, an organization will be testing B2F at one school in a city and another in a tribal area. This group has been working with schools and government offices to set up a anti-trafficking education program. They already have access to every high school in the region and have been meeting with a number of governors and mayors to expand the program. They were ready to design a curriculum when they heard about B2F and asked us if they could use it for trafficking prevention in their area.

We're also waiting to hear from organizations working in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Guatemala that have expressed interest in testing B2F in those countries. They'll let us know within the next month.

Meanwhile here's a mom (left) in the Dominican Republic "reading" the Born2Fly wordless book with her daughter.

Yes, the mom is young! She had her daughter when she was 14. She's now a community health care worker and also teaches kindergarten. Her story is a remarkable one in itself, and she wants a much better life for her girls than she has had. 

This mom and 6 other community health team members are trial teaching the B2F materials to their own children. Child trafficking is a real problem throughout the DR and these moms are teaching their kids how to spot traffickers and avoid being enslaved.

Watch this space for more details.

 

 

"Please don't forget us!"

Here's an email I recently received from the director of a safe house I visited in Asia a few years ago:

I've read your recent note about your Born2Fly materials being ready to distribute. I'm so eager to get them to use with our children.

As I was putting P, one of our children, to bed one night, he started telling me about the "black van" that goes around neighborhoods stealing children. The teachers have cautioned them to be careful.

P said, "Mom, I know to be careful but what about N? He's only 2. He doesn't know any better." 

I believe our children are ready for your materials and that they can be instrumental in stopping child trafficking here in Asia. Please don't forget us!

I can never forget those children. Because of your generosity, we are very near the day when we can begin responding to requests such as these and send them the Born2Fly materials.

If you'd like to donate to help us reach that day, you can do so here.

Thank you for helping us reach kids before the traffickers do.

PS: Yes, children as young as this girl are trafficked.