Thailand’s red-light district is closed

Something I never thought I’d see in my lifetime happened last month — every single “go-go” bar in Thailand closed their doors. All of them. The red-light districts went dark. No more neon lights. No more pounding music. No more girls dancing for crowds of potential customers.

A part of me was thrilled when I heard Thailand’s sex industry is shut down, but I also know that the reason it’s happening is hurting many of those same girls who used to work in the bars. And it’s hurting countless other people across Thailand and the world.

You see, the reason this is happening is because of the coronavirus.

Almost everything is closed across Thailand, not just the bars. And it’s left many families with no income and no way to buy food. The same thing is happening in nearly every country around the world, including here in the U.S.

But you can help people affected by the coronavirus in places like Thailand and around the world. And thanks to a matching gift by World Help board members, your gift doubles up to $235,000! Usually every $8 would impact one person, but now because of the matching gift, your $8 impacts TWO people in desperate need.

As the coronavirus spreads, we’re learning more about the disease. And one thing we’ve learned is that it doesn’t discriminate. Young, old, rich, poor. It can claim anyone’s life or livelihood. No one is immune to the constant struggles this pandemic has brought. And our global partners are doing everything they can to help.

Even the girls in our Freedom Homes are doing their part to help feed the hungry and take care of the vulnerable.

While they’ve been under quarantine, the girls in the Pattaya home have been putting together over 200 bags of food for local families in the greatest need. The residents at the Bangkok home have kept busy by making antibacterial soap, masks, and pork buns for the families living in a nearby slum.

The slum is full of children and their elderly relatives who watch them while their parents are at work. The people living there have little access to food and medical care. And now that many businesses have closed, the parents are out of work and have no way to provide for their families at all. So, the help from the girls at the Freedom Home has been a tremendous blessing.

Families in the slums have also been receiving aid from the staff at a local daycare made possible by World Help child sponsors. Although the children are no longer able to come to the daycare due to social distancing restrictions, the staff is working diligently to make sure they are still getting the help they need.

They have been dropping off school supplies at the children’s homes so they can keep up with their education as well as daily boxed lunches to make sure they are staying healthy and well-fed.

This daycare and the Freedom Homes are only two of the many World Help programs around the globe that have been impacted by this crisis. They are doing everything they can with the limited resources that they have in order to meet the needs of people of all ages.

Right now, though, they need YOUR help more than ever to provide aid like food, hygiene kits, clean water, and medical care.

Because World Help had to cancel all of our spring fundraising events, we’re facing a $2.3 million shortfall. And if we can’t erase this shortfall, then our international partners won’t have what they need to continue serving their communities throughout this pandemic.

But you can help. Every $8 impacts one person’s life.

And thanks to the generous matching gift, your impact DOUBLES!

Your gift will also help here in the U.S. by providing emergency food to Americans who are out of work because of the coronavirus and hygiene kits to seniors and high-risk individuals.

So please, give today to help save lives.

Give now