When Nook escaped to Bangkok, she was looking for freedom — freedom from her abusive father and her abusive husband. What she found were chains of a different sort. We’ve changed Nook’s name for her own safety, but safety is something she’s hardly ever known. Like...
This past week, I was traveling in one of my favorite places — Thailand. While I was there, I met little girls who have big dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. They want to be teachers, bakers, business owners, and nurses.But I also met women whose...
When Mehak grows up, she wants to be a doctor. She wants to get an education and use what she learns to help save lives. It’s a noble dream, but it’s one that Mehak will not be able to pursue. You see, Mehak lives in a community where little girls are not encouraged...
Mali’s skin was covered in tattoos. When asked if getting the tattoos hurt, the young girl replied, “Not at all. Nothing can hurt me anymore.” Like many young girls in Thailand, Mali, whose name we’ve changed for her privacy, is no stranger to sexual abuse. As a...
For most of 9-year-old Lawan’s life, she’s had nowhere to really call home. She was born in an impoverished, rural village in Thailand to a mother who was only 14. Her teenage mom did everything she could to take care of Lawan (whose name we’ve changed for privacy),...
