Wow, what an amazing month it's been! We know there's always plenty of bad news coming at you, so we wanted to share 5 quick & amazing thingsthat are happening RIGHT NOW at Red Oak:(1)SURVIVORS PURSUING EDUCATION:
In the last few weeks, three survivors we've walked with are making major steps towards their educational goals-- one is studying hard, one just took her test, and one woman successfully got her GED! For these ladies, this represents stepping stones towards associate degrees, jobs, and even college aspirations, and we are so proud of their hard work.
(2) FOUR SURVIVORS SAFE AT HOME:
We had two new survivors move into our Austin transitional house this month and once again our house is full! These ladies are now experiencing safety and stability in housing as they meet with our case manager weekly to move forward in their goals of mental & physical health, vocational aspirations, and more.
(3)PROFESSIONALS AT WORK:
We love seeing ladies grow in their professional skills! Our tailoring program in Uganda just started providing business & internship training to 19 women and we're also providing computer skills classes to 4 ladies in Asia-- two of whom had never touched a computer before and are now learning to type for the first time.
(4) CARE IN CRISIS:
Our new staff in Uganda is now able to provide on-the-ground services to survivors we previously repatriated from Asia. Last week, this staff was able to jump into action when one of our beneficiaries experienced a violent assault-- providing emotional support and helping her move to safety over the weekend. One beneficiary said she had felt "left behind" but now feels SUPPORTED, and we're so thankful to be able to continue walking alongside these brave survivors.
(5)CELEBRATING HOLIDAYS:
The holiday season is upon us! Amidst the heavy reality of trafficking and abuse, we're thankful to be able to also celebrate the FUN of holidays with things like visits to the pumpkin patch and carving jack-o-lanterns. For some survivors who didn't get to do these things as children, these moments of JOY are so sweet.
Last month we heard from 5 of our survivor beneficiaries about what freedom and flourishing means to them.
Watch what they said here:
Your support makes each of these moments possible.
THANK YOU for joining us to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Austin and around the world. It's truly making a difference!
For Freedom,
