Mali* knew her sisters were dying.
She knew because they had the same disease that had taken their mother — HIV. They’d contracted it working in Thailand’s booming sex industry.
They knew the risks, the consequences. But what other choice did they have? They had to put food on the table. They had to keep their family alive. They had to keep Mali from the same fate as them.
Mali knew that if her sisters died, she’d be left alone. They’d given their lives to the sex trade to care for her.
But deep down, she could already see what was coming.
Without someone to rescue her, Mali was next.
Cultural Slavery
Many girls and women in India and Thailand are at risk of being pushed into sexual slavery
Every year, thousands of girls in Thailand and India are pushed into the sex industry by tradition and poverty.
Girls in the Banchara community of India are subject to a 500-year-old tradition that dictates that the oldest daughter of every family begin sex work at just 12 years old. Their income pays for their brothers’ marriage dowries and supports their families.
For most girls, it takes years to earn enough money, so they often continue working until they’re too old or sick to continue.
In Thailand, women are expected to be the breadwinners of their families. But many girls living in rural areas can’t afford an education. Without it, they struggle to find good jobs. As a result, they travel to big cities like Bangkok and Pattaya, chasing job opportunities and better pay.
Sadly, they rarely find them. Instead, these girls are often pushed into the sex industry, sometimes as young as 14. For many, it’s a life sentence.
How Sponsorship Transforms Lives
Sponsorship helps rescue girls from a life of trafficking
World Help has partnered with organizations in Thailand and India to help girls experience freedom from the sex industry and give them another option. Women working in the red-light districts of Thailand and those trapped in cultural slavery in India receive the opportunity to pursue a better, brighter future.
But what if there were a way to prevent these girls from ever being pushed into sexual slavery in the first place? What if you could rescue them before they endured the trauma and dangers of sex work?
What if child sponsorship is the lifeline girls need to avoid a life of cultural slavery?
When you sponsor a child in Thailand or India, you can rescue them and give them a way to break the cycle of poverty before they ever have the chance to be pushed into the sex industry.
Prevention is critical to help young girls escape the dangers of the sex industry before it’s too late.
Just ask Mali … because her story isn’t finished.
A Bright Future
Sponsorship provides children with life-changing essentials and a bright future!
Mali’s oldest sister eventually died from HIV. After her death, her other sister decided she would do everything she could to keep Mali from the same fate.
At first, she didn’t know where to go for help. Then, she discovered our partner’s Freedom Home — a place where girls can live far away from the clutches of sexual slavery.
When Mali arrived at the home, she was welcomed by other girls who had faced the same dangers she had. There, she received essentials like food, clothing, medical care, and an education. Best of all, she’s hearing about the love of Jesus Christ every day!
Now, Mali is going to school and pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. She no longer has a future of shame and abuse from the sex industry looming over her.
Instead, she can chase her dreams while knowing how loved and cherished she is.
When you sponsor a child from India or Thailand, you can make the same impact!
How You Can Help
Will you help rescue a child in Thailand or India?
Right now, many children in Thailand and India are at risk of being pushed into the sex industry. But when you sponsor one of these children, you’ll help rescue them.
Your sponsorship will provide a child with life-changing essentials like nutritious meals, basic medical care, educational opportunities, and more. Most importantly, you’ll give them the opportunity to hear about Jesus’ love for them.
By rescuing a child, you’ll keep them safe from life in the sex trade.
– They won’t suffer from HIV or other fatal illnesses as a result of sex work.
– They won’t have to live in poverty and endure lifelong trauma.
– They won’t be trapped in sexual slavery for the rest of their lives.
Instead, you can give them the gift of freedom.
Your sponsorship will transform a child’s life in Thailand or India. Click the button below to learn more.
*Name changed for privacy.