Like many teens in her community, Sunee* dreamed of making money to support her family. When she heard friends were earning fast cash through online gambling, she thought that was her answer. Luckily, a Facebook memory reminded her of the trafficking prevention lessons she took with The Freedom Story.
Originally from Myanmar, Sunee heard it was easier to get this kind of job there. When she decided to pursue this path, she was quickly taken advantage of. Losing everything, Sunee had to skip meals and melt ice from work to have drinking water. Alone and hopeless, she didn’t know where to turn.
Then, she remembered The Freedom Story’s trafficking prevention lessons from Baan Nana, the shelter where she grew up.
Life Lessons that Made All The Difference
The Freedom Story’s trafficking prevention curriculum helps children develop a growth mindset, build confidence, learn about their rights, and acquire leadership skills in the fight against trafficking. They learn how to reduce their own risk factors, identify danger, report suspicious behavior, and prevent exploitation at its source. This time, the lessons about setting goals, believing in herself, and learning from mistakes were exactly what Sunee needed to keep herself safe.
So she made a plan:
- Spend no more than 60 baht each day.
- Treat herself to one delicious meal a month.
- Pay off her motorbike this year.
Step by step, Sunee not only paid off her motorbike but also saved enough money to help her younger sister stay in school. Today, she volunteers with The Freedom Story at Baan Nana, mentoring younger kids and showing them a safer path forward.
When A Community Takes Anti-Trafficking to Heart
Because of supporters like you, Sunee resisted the trap of online gambling and exploitation. The training she received through our Prevention Partners program did more than warn her about the risks of trafficking. It gave her the ability to choose stability in a situation that would otherwise lead to exploitation.
The Prevention Partners program shares The Freedom Story’s proven prevention model with community leaders, students, and churches. Over the course of three years, our team trains, supports, and coaches each community to adapt our model to their specific needs and to continue to share the power of prevention with others.
Baan Nana, the school where Sunee grew up, is one of those partners. After three years, the boarding school is now equipped to protect the 80 kids who attend from trafficking. From student scholarships to sharing our child development curriculum, their peer-to-peer mentorship model means that the impact of The Freedom Story program will continue to spread for generations.
Take Sunee* for example; since finishing school, she still returns to her community to volunteer with The Freedom Story activities, sharing her experiences and the lessons she learned about trafficking prevention with younger kids.
To learn more about the impact of The Freedom Story’s Prevention Program and the safe zone we helped build at Baan Nana, please watch this video:
