Education United States Project #19896

Help Provide Access to Education for Survivors

by Restoration Project International

Project Report | Nov 24, 2015
Thank You for Your Continued Support

By Edith Okupa | Executive Director

Helping to lift up survivors

November, 2015 Project Update

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Thank you for your continued support to ensure that we carry out this important work of providing restoration to survivors of sex trafficking through education. You are receiving this email because you supported our program and we feel the need to give you a progress report of how your money is spent.

Beneficiaries of our Project in Denver, Colorado are girls we have empowered to aspire for education. The one survivor that wants to pursue a career in Criminal Justice didn’t get into the program this Fall Session; however, she has applied for the Spring Session of 2016. Currently, she is working in a beauty salon. In spite of the challenges we face with getting them to participate fully in the mentor-mentee relationship, these girls seem to be doing pretty well. They are adjusting well to their new life; thanks to your generous donation and the Shelter that provides safety/shields them from their captors.

We are gearing up for a busy and program packed 2016; 40 week mentorship program, community awareness events, workshops and trainings. These programs and events would benefit survivors of both sex trafficking and domestic violence; and also get communities to actively participate in sustainable restoration of victims and survivors of sex trafficking.

We want to reiterate that your continued contribution to support our programs will bridge the systemic gaps that leave survivors vulnerable and at risk of re-victimization. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of education as a vital tool in the empowerment of survivors to consciously avoid risky situations that often leave them powerless and violated. Education provides them with tools for leading a healthy life which translates into freedom.

Thank you for your continued support and donations that help us change lives. Because of you, our donors and supporters, we are positively impacting the lives of girls and changing misconceptions about their victimization. Please continue to partner with us!

Together, we can empower victims and survivors: give them hope, restore their dignity and dream, and provide them tools for FREEDOM, a basic human rights that we all are entitled to!! Without your help, victims and survivors of sex trafficking may continue to wallow in pain and trauma. Remember, not doing anything amounts to indirectly giving pimps and captors the license to continue in this degradation of humanity, and sending the wrong message that what they are doing is okay! Our inaction would not only empower traffickers and exploiters to continue in this human degradation, we are sending a message to these victims and survivors that help is farfetched, unreachable and they should just live with their “lot” in life. The interesting part of this story is that: this problem is very close to home! Remember: There is power in numbers! We cannot effect social change without you.

We still need funds to pay for education curriculum for these girls. Join us in this good work! You can also help through social media by promoting and sharing our page at: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-provide-access-to-education-for-survivors/

THANK YOU once again for your partnership and allowing us effect social change. Feel free to contact me at: eookupa@restorationpi.org. We are always happy to hear from you.

Permalink

Jul 1, 2015
Project Report on Our Education Scholarship

By Edith Okupa | Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Thank you for helping us raise funds to provide education to survivors of sex trafficking. We appreciate your continued support thus would like to give you a progress report.

One beneficiary of our Project in Denver, Colorado, will be pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at a community college. She had completed a one year vocational study and had indicated her interest in pursuing a college education. Here’s what she said when we asked her why she wants to go to college: “I want to help other girls who are being victimized”. The exciting news is that she starts taking classes in the Fall of 2015 towards a college diploma!! You, our donor, made this possible, thank you!

Another survivor in Denver who had dropped out of college will return to school this Fall or Spring of 2016 because of your generous donations. Here’s what she said when we told her of the scholarship opportunity: “thank you for encouraging me to go back to school; now I can achieve my dream, I can take care of my mother; it means a great deal to me”.

We also have survivors in Washington DC, Chicago and Indiana that would benefit from our scholarship program as soon as funds are available.

Your continued support will help bridge the gap between intervention and restoration. Education empower survivors to shun their captors and pimps, give them tools to make educated and informed choices to avoid risky situations, provide sustainable economic freedom, and smooth transition into communal life.

Thank you for your donations and for helping us change lives. Because of you, our donors and supporters, two survivors are on the path to economic freedom. But, we still need your help!

As you continue to partner with us, let’s give economic power; restore hope and dignity to these down-trodden and battered girls; and elevate them from victims to victors!! Except we help them, they may never get back their lives or dignity. Without our help, they are eventually forced to return to their exploiters. The sad part is that they may remain under perpetual sexual slavery for the rest of their lives. There is always power in numbers! Remember, we cannot do this work without you.

Please join us in this fight by ensuring that we do not lack the needed support. Help promote our projects by sharing our page at: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-provide-access-to-education-for-survivors/

THANK YOU once again for your partnership and allowing us effect social change. Feel free to contact me at: eookupa@restorationpi.org. We are always happy to hear from you.

P.S.
We would not provide photos at this time because of the confidentiality and safety of our beneficiaries. Thank you for understanding.

Permalink

‹ 1 2

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.