Friday, October 26, 2007

It's been a while

Sorry that you haven’t heard from me lately. Ever since the UN-GIFT conference I have been going like a crazy person, visiting different homes and organizations all of which take hours upon hours to get to. And by the time I reach home the electricity is off or it is very late and I am exhausted-or all 3.

The conference itself met my expectations of anything the UN tries to do--mass confusion, disorganization, lack of subject knowledge but a whole lot of pomp and circumstance. GIFT stands for Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking and in attendance where some of the most amazing people whom have spent everyday for the last decade and a half fighting against pimps, traffickers, corrupt police officers (corrupt police is a redundant statement in South and Southeast Asia).

I got to meet people I have only read about. In fact, I had the opportunity to meet Anuradha of Maiti Nepal, the woman on whom the article that inspired me 5 years ago was written. I felt honored to be in the presence of so many amazing men and women.

If only the UN had realized who their audience was!

The conference was put together as if the focus was on people unfamiliar with the term human trafficking. They showed (repeatedly) PSAs by Bollywood stars in which they told statistics and encouraging those watching to do something to stop trafficking. It was really shocking. I haven’t spoken to anyone who attended the conference that had one positive thing to say—how sad! And what a waste of money; I heard that they spent $200,000 on this 3 day event. That’s the UN for ya!

In regards to the aftercare homes I have visited, it looks as if I was a little too optimistic about the quality and importability of the products they produce. So I will be spending a lot more time here in India than first expected to see if I can facilitate development in the product base.

If any fashion designers are reading this or if you know fashion designers---we need HELP!!!!

If you create designs for clothing, accessories, jewelry, stationary, or household items (candles, table runners, pillows etc) we need your help. Assistance stateside to develop a catalog of products would be fantastic and if you are able to come to India to apply the design and to help train with the girls that would be amazing.

Right now we really need your vision, direction, and inspiration.

Little FYI: My goal is to have a store in S.Cal within the next couple years. The store would sell the items made in homes for women rescued from sexual exploitation. It is a non-profit business and all profits return to the women, the homes that care for them and to organizations that conduct the raids that bring freedom to so many.
Please pass on the call for volunteers.
Thanks!