ENA Continues the Fight to Stop Sex Trafficking

Anti-Slavery Human Trafficking Update!

In 2014 Engage Now Africa created a new anti-slavery initiative to address trafficking issues in our own back yard. Our domestic program is called Engage Now America and was created to help eradicate sex trafficking or slavery, specifically among child victims here in the USA.

Phoenix April 6, 2014

Pictured above is Chris Gay, ENA's West Africa Director, along with Shared Hope International founder Linda Smith after a meeting at Swift Transportation about stopping sex trafficking in the trucking industry here in US. ENA was able to bring Swift and Shared Hope International, who is a leader in this field, together.

Victims

Many of America's children are being used in the commercial sex industry. Children who are exploited through prostitution, pornography and sexual entertainment are victims of domestic minor sex trafficking. Traffickers recruit at locations that commonly attract youth; like schools, malls, parks, online and even protective shelters and group homes. Traffickers pray on vulnerable youth with histories of abuse, runaways, homelessness, and throwaways, lonely or disconnected. Warning signs are having a significantly older boyfriend, traveling with an older male who is not their guardian, special marked tattoos, substance abuse, signs of trauma, and multiple delinquent charges. Victims can be anybody's daughter, niece, cousin, friend, or neighbor. Boys can be victims as well. 

So in an effort to further help these victims and eradicate domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) in our own back yard, ENA Director, Chris Gay kept the momentum that was leftover from his last meeting with Swift transportation going. This time he helped organize a second follow up meeting with Linda Smith, President/Director/Founder, SHI (Shared Hope International), Nick Lembo, Board of Directors SHI, Co-Chair Defenders theMen of SHI and Taryn Offenbacher, Communications Director, SHI.

Also in attendance was Jerry Moyes, CEO of Swift Transportation, Nate Rowland, Training & Development Specialist for Swift and Jim Stone, Executive Director of Swift charities. We gathered together in an effort to discuss how to best eradicate sex trafficking here in America, specifically within the trucking industry where it is a big problem.

Vision & Leaders

ENA recognizes the courage it takes to look at difficult issues and values Swift Transportation's ability and desire to do this. Especially Jerry Moyes who gave his blessing to allow a collaborating with SHI so new training materials can be developed for Swift truckers. They are now a leader in the fight against sex trafficking of minors within the trucking industry and paving the way to better help victims on a greater scale. We also recognize that not all truckers are a part of the sex trafficking problem in this country. In fact we know that there are many brave and decent truckers out there that have helped and continue to help victims of sex trafficking.

However ENA & SHI want to empower many more truck drivers not just in Swift but hopefully in the other large trucking companies that exist. We plan on shining a spotlight upon this serious problem by raising awareness and providing avenues for those currently involved in creating the demand to change their ways.

It is the beginning of a beautiful collaboration to help victims in our backyard and we thank Swift and SHI for their time and dedication! More news to come.

Watch "Chosen", and how an honor-roll, cheerleader student was recruited bytraffickers.

Ghana- 2014 Goal Accomplished

Engage Now Africa is thrilled to announce that we have already met our 2014 goal of having ten wells drilled in Northern Ghana!!

 Pictured above is Chris Gay, ENA West Africa Director, with Moro, Joe and Dagando from our staff in Ghana just before entering the field to check up on a well that was just completed.

 Our staff in Ghana is currently constructing cement foundations like the one pictured below, attaching the pumps and making signboards for each of the ten wells!

Namibia- Orphan Relief Effort

NYANGANA ORPHANS 

AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN

The orphan population of Nyangana at Kavango Region in Namibia has been increasing at an alarming rate. ENA has learned of the current issues the orphans in this region face and is busy implementing a plan of action to help.

Orphans from the village of Nyangana

In order to properly assess the needs of these orphans and meet their educational goals, Engage Now Africa just completed a survey of 500 households in the Nyangana village. We found 270 orphans and vulnerable children that we are committed to helping and educating.  

An orphan being cared for by his grandmother

90% of these children are composed of AIDS-affected orphans and vulnerable children.  In addition to AIDS, the other issues these children are currently facing are: poverty, hunger, abuse and an expressed need for psycho-social support. About 80% of these AIDS-affected children are living with a grandmother or care taker who is unable to provide for their basic and educational needs. This unfortunate trend will deepen household poverty and threaten future generations if nothing is done to help. That is why ENA has is committed to an educationally based support system. 

The support strategy that we are currently implementing includes the following:

• Providing school materials (books, pens, pencils and schools bags)
• Providing uniforms and shoes
• Paying school development funds(tuition)
• Working with the school and community to educate and support additional psychological, nutritional and behavioral needs
• Tracking the needs and progress of each orphan so they can receive a primary, secondary and high school education. 

Orphans in the village of Nyangana

We look forward to continuing our efforts to educate these orphans and keeping you updated on their progress! 

Ethiopia- Orphan Report and Update

Engage Now Africa is currently sponsoring 217 orphans living in 14 different villages. ENA's goal is to track all of these orphans through their education because our ultimate goal is to have them move onto college.  Once they have graduated from Primary school (grades 1-4) they will move onto Secondary school (5-9).  At that time the children are tested and if they pass they can move onto college.  Those that score exceptionally well can qualify for University.  Each semester every child is tested and either moves onto the next grade and if not they can remain in that grade until their test scores are adequate.  

ENA will be able to work closely with the schools to identify any problems and help this child with whatever he may require.  Often times it is because they have missed too much school  We are hopeful our uniform program will help add credence with their caretakers as to the importance of their everyday schooling.

 Diana Bingham, ENA's East Africa Director, identified orphans in the area last year and had them each measured for uniforms.

On March 12, 2014 Diana Bingham, ENA's East Africa Director, met with the Director of the Hildi School in Debre Zeit.  Hildi is a "cluster" resource center, which means that Hildi is the headquarters for ten schools.  ENA sponsors 42 orphans in this cluster.  

Diana arrived in the afternoon and gave the orphans that attended school in the afternoon their uniforms.  Their uniform bag consisted of two complete uniforms (either two pairs or pants or two skirts and two shirts).  A pair of custom made leather shoes, 12 notebooks, pens and pencils. Although the children's feet were measured, almost all of them claimed their shoes were too small  Although they were the correct size and a bit too big for growing room, this was because they had never worn closed toed shoes.  They had either been barefoot or worn "flip flops".  After much discussion about it they became very happy and all were extremely grateful and proud to be wearing a uniform for the first time. It was a wonderful experience to help dress the children in their uniforms and watch their faces as they each grew a huge smile once they had them on.  They felt very validated and proud to own a uniform.  ENA will follow up with the cluster headquarters and receive a report as to their schooling and progress.

The uniforms ENA measured and ordered for them arrived!!

We wish to thank Reuters for their generous donation and helping to make this possible!

We believe this a a worthwhile and sustainable program and hope we can continue for the next several years so that each one of these orphans receive the education every child deserves.