It’s a simple transaction. I promise to ride over 500 kilometres in a week and you promise to sponsor me so that young girls can escape the horror of an abusive past. Do we have a deal?
Childhood should be a time of innocence, yet for millions around the world it’s a time of abuse, exploitation and despair. It’s impossible to imagine the horror a young girl experiences when she’s stolen from her home then raped a dozen times a day by different men to make money for someone else.
Human trafficking enslaves about 27 million people around the world. That is more than the population of Australia. Of these modern day slaves the UN estimates 79% of them are caught up in sexual trafficking. According to “Save the Children” at any one time across the world, around 1.8 million children are being abused through prostitution, child pornography and sex tourism.
I took a trip in December last year to Bangladesh and India to see the excellent work being done through SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets. I was so amazed at the work that is being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from sex trafficking that I wanted to do more to help shine some light into some very dark corners of our world.
What I saw on my trip was young women, some very young, who had been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution but who are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.
Morning Cafe Ride for Hope
Next month I’ll be leading 98five’s Morning Cafe Ride for Hope. The ride will involve more than 20 cyclists riding over 500 kilometres from Albany to Perth. As part of the event I’m raising money for SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets. My personal fund raising target is $1500. To reach that goal I need 15 people who are prepared to donate $100. Can you please consider being one of those people? You may even be in a position to give substantially more.
Of course I understand that not everyone can afford to be so generous so please consider giving whatever you can. What can you give? Five dollars? Ten dollars? Fifty dollars? The need is desperate and any donation of $2 or more is tax deductible.
If you’d like to make a difference in the lives of young girls who desperately need your support, simply visit our fundraising page and choose my name from the drop down menu as the participant you’d like to support.
Let me thank you in anticipation of your support.
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