Blossom is the main character in the Born2Fly wordless book and curriculum--and this fall she's heading to Russia. It's all part of a program to reach kids before the traffickers do.
In this case, Russian orphans.
We're partnering with a non-profit organization that offered to translate the B2F trafficking-awareness curriculum into Russian and then teach it to teens at 3 different centers for orphans who have "aged out" of the system.
Orphans all over the world are extremely at risk for child trafficking. Traffickers actually wait outside orphanages and watch for kids they'll target.
In Russia as in many places around the world, when orphans reach 18 years old, they have to leave the orphanage. Most don't have any skills that can help them hold down a job, or even know how to look for one.
It doesn't take long before the traffickers introduce themselves to the kids. They offer them the moon, and with no other options in sight, the kids take it. Only to find themselves enslaved.
Training kids to stand up to the traffickers
Two different groups of kids will go through the B2F anti-trafficking program:
1. Orphans who are 17-21 years old and recently left the orphanages--a high-risk population
2. Younger teen-aged orphans who are still residing in orphanages
Several full-time orphan-interns will help teach the program. This is exactly the way we've set up the B2F Project--adults train teens, who in turn serve as mentors to younger kids going through the program.
The program begins this fall. Watch this space for details and photos.
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