In modern day slavery, human beings are bought and sold on an international market, for amounts ranging from $80 to $5000 or more. They have no control over their lives or their children’s lives: where they live, or what work they do (usually dirty, degrading or dangerous). Being enslaved is extremely hazardous to human life and health—for example 22% of child slaves in India do not make it to adulthood.
Sometimes slaves are kept captive with literal chains or bars. In other cases threats of violence, or actual violence keep enslaved people from running away. Some people do not even realize that they are slaves, or that slavery is illegal. Millions of families toil as slaves for generations, to satisfy debts typically under $50, in the practice known as bonded labor.
Why am I telling you this? So that you’ll consider visiting the Made By Survivors Web site (pictured below) for at least some part of your holiday shopping.
Made By Survivors is an international nonprofit organization which employs and educates survivors of slavery and other human rights abuses, including women and children living in extreme poverty.
Their programs create jobs in highly respected professions. They create jobs with high wages that develop business and leadership skills.
In India, for example, metal-smithing and jewelry design is traditionally a male-only profession. So the women metal-smiths supported by Made By Survivors are not only free and earning a real living, they are breaking stubborn gender barriers.
100% of profits go to support rescue, aftercare, education and employment. So before you visit the mall or that big box store, please give Made By Survivors a look.
Thanks!
[Click the image above to enlarge it, or simply go straight to Made By Survivors] |
Thanks, amigos! Pass it on, by all means….
hey Joe… keep this up through xmas and chanukah shopping season….<br /><br />you know<br />every time you buy ANYTHING that is made in, say, China, or Bangladesh, or Thailand, or India, or <br />et ceteras you are supporting this slavery …<br />you can even buy for like more than the price of a carton of cigarettes a young girl from their parents<br />and re-sell her to fat-old foreigners
Right on, Joseph!<br /><br />Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I think I'll start my holidays shopping now.