4 Causes of Human Trafficking

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Through our mission, Center for Global Impact seeks to bring the Good News of Jesus to those in the grip of poverty and bondage through education, vocational training and business development. Primarily working in Cambodia, many of those we serve are victims of — or vulnerable to — human trafficking.

-CGI Mission Statement

What causes human trafficking?

Human trafficking varies from country to country, but it usually preys on vulnerable situations.
People in vulnerable and precarious situations are looking for a way out and in their desperation can fall prey to human traffickers. We see these in multiple different circumstances.

The following four scenarios are examples of the conditions and/or realities people may be fleeing.

1. Leaving a place of poverty to gain wealth

Many victims want to get out of their situation so they risk everything to leave the place that sees them mired in poverty. This gives the human traffickers bait to lure victims to move to a different country.

Traffickers lie, promising jobs and stability in order to recruit their victims.  Upon their arrival to another state or region, captors take control. More often than not, they are held in places where victims did not to want to make their home.

*The practice of entrusting poor children to more affluent friends or relatives may create vulnerability. Some parents sell their children, not just for money, but in hope that their children may escape poverty and have a better life with more opportunities.

2. Political conditions

Political instability, militarism, generalized violence or civil unrest can result in an increase in trafficking as well. The destabilization and scattering of populations increase their vulnerability to unfair treatment and abuse via trafficking and forced labor.

3. War

Armed conflicts can lead to massive forced displacements of people. War creates large numbers of orphans and street children who are especially vulnerable to trafficking. Their families have either passed away or are fighting a war, complicating child-rearing.

4. Social and Cultural practices

Many societies and cultures devalue, abuse and exploit women and girls, creating perilous living conditions for these women.  With little opportunities of upward mobility and with little value placed on women and girls, they are more vulnerable to human trafficking.

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We see a broken world and recognize a need for Jesus to intervene in so many lives.  At CGI, we hope and pray for a future in which those we serve experience the freedom, dignity and fullness of life that comes when we enter into relationship with Jesus Christ.

How can you fight human trafficking from your home? Check out one of our earlier blogs for a few beginning steps.

 

 

 

 

Resources
United Nations Office Of Drugs and Crime – https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Toolkit-files/08-58296_tool_9-2.pdf

Kien Svay Kids Christmas Party!

DSC04185The Kien Svay Kids recently had a Christmas party! It was a fun day of celebrating how hard they’ve been working, having the chance to open small gifts, and learn about the Savior we celebrate this time of year. There was lots of laughter, games and snacks!

This program has been a huge blessing to the kids involved. Kien Svay is a very poor province in Cambodia and we’ve seen marked improvement in the kids’ grades since entering the program. It’s a place where at-risk children can learn, grow and be known.

Please keep these precious children in your prayers, as well as their tireless teacher, Srey Leak.

 

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God’s Good Timing

IMG_0697Recently, Storm Chiropractic did an awesome thing: they hosted a Kids Wellness Day at their clinic and donated the proceeds to CGI Kids! What an amazing and creative way to use their business as a way to give back.

Fast forward to this week, when our Executive Director received an email from Cambodia. The email was from Seiha, the director of our Kien Svay Kids program in a very poor province in Cambodia. The children have flourished in this program and their grades in school have improved, they’ve developed greater confidence and have the opportunity to learn about Jesus. It’s a fantastic program that helps us to pour into the young Cambodian population and is a vital piece of our mission, which is to protect the vulnerable.

The letter from the director of Kien Svay Kids was an update about the children in the program, and some of their immediate needs. These needs ranged from sand to protect their facility from flooding during the upcoming rainy season, to small gifts the children will receive for doing great in school, to funding a Christmas party for the kids and their siblings and friends.

The requests totaled almost exactly the amount that Storm Chiropractic was able to donate. They were thrilled to learn their gift was able to be used to grant the requests of schoolchildren half a world away.

This was a beautiful illustration of God’s good timing. If you’ve been dreaming of a way to use your passions, skills or business to help others in need, don’t push those ideas away. Act on them! They may be the answer to someone else’s prayers.

 

Impact Gala

The invitations are out for this year’s Impact Gala and we couldn’t be more excited! (If you didn’t receive an invitation in your inbox, click here to be included on CGI’s email distribution list and don’t worry–you can always register via our website as well!)

This year’s theme is “A Tale of Two Kingdoms,” which represents the Kingdom of God breaking into the Kingdom of Cambodia. Each year we are seeing more and more evidence of this, as many of the women in our programs are hearing the Gospel and choosing to follow Jesus. It’s our joy to be able to share his hope in Cambodia, and also provide the tools and training needed to create a better life for them and their families. But to do this, we need your help. The gala is a GREAT event that not only brings together the people that share a heart for our mission, but also raises needed funds that allow us to continue and improve our programs.

We’re seeing young girls coming out of dangerous situations that have learned to sew and support themselves in the Imprint Project. Lunch is being provided now at the byTavi workshop. School uniforms are being made for the children in our Kien Svay Kids program, and the kids are showing improvement in their studies. A second restaurant has opened up in Battambang. Leadership training and retreats are being offered for our Cambodian staff. We are SO encouraged and we hope you are, too! And yet, there’s always more we dream of doing.

We hope you’ll attend this year’s gala on September 6th. The evening will be filled with inspiring stories, interactive experiences, great food, music, friendship and encouragement. We’d love for you to come and extend the invitation to others as well. See you there!

Register Now

GALA

CGI Kids Gardening Project

photo-90Last year, CGI Kids were given an opportunity to support one of our vocational training programs in Cambodia–the Culinary Training Center. Kids interested in helping were given a tomato plant and a 5 gallon bucket with instructions to grow in their own backyards.

After tending the plants throughout the summer, the tomatoes were then sold at a local farmers’ market. The money they earned was sent to the Culinary Training Center in Battambang, Cambodia, where it was used to start a garden. The culinary students at Green Mango Cafe were able to grow their own produce, all because of the generosity and hard work of kids here at home! It was a beautiful picture of our global connectedness.

So this year, we’re doing it again! Any kids who are interested in helping support CGI’s Culinary Training Center can come to our Greenwood office (2650 Fairview Place, Suite W) and pick up their own 5 gallon bucket, tomato plant and growing instructions May 12-16.

Join us in this fun, easy way to support the women of CGI!

A Day in Kien Svay

Dr. Jeremy Roscoe serves on the CGI Board and is spending time in Cambodia this month with CGI’s program participants and staff. He’s been busy doing medical clinics, encouraging and serving this week, and we wanted to share a few excerpts from his latest blog entry about a day spent with CGI’s Kien Svay Kids. Check it out!

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Today was awesome! We got to see and participate in Kien Svay kids activities. These are 15 kids that CGI kids sponsors to get them in school, tutor, help their families, get water filters, and teach them about Jesus!

There is a teacher that spends every Thursday afternoon teaching these 15 kids and about 15 others that want to come, too. They learn a Bible story, English, Khmer (their native language), get a snack, and have fun! Then she spends the rest of her week visiting their houses, making sure they are studying and checking on their home life, siblings, parents, job situations, food, and health. These kids have gone from the bottom of their class at school to the upper half now since she has been working with them!

So today I got to teach the English lesson. They were learning the phrase, “What is this?” “This is ______.” So we went around the room pointing to pictures practicing. It was most fun to hear them say zebra. They had a snack, then I broke out the noisemakers. It was hilarious to hear them all running around blowing their horns! Then Sreyleak (their teacher) said they’d like to play a game. We went out to the play area and then she said, “Ok, you make up the game!” All we had was a beach ball, so I quickly made up some bases, and we had the very first game of Cambodian kickball ever in Kien Svay- kids against adults. They laughed and squealed the whole time.

So let me tell you why this was even more impressive. Today is a holiday in Cambodia, Labor Day. There is no work or school. And 30 kids showed up at school on a 100 degree day to learn about Jesus and English.

God is Good, all the time.

By Dr. Jeremy Roscoe

Want to donate to Kien Svay Kids? Click here!

Not Just Clothes

Kien Svay Kids in their new gym clothes

Kien Svay Kids in their new gym clothes

Last week, the children in our Kien Svay Kids program (part of CGI Kids) received new gym clothes. And here they are, grinning from ear to ear in their new outfits!

This photo warms our hearts because its a picture of more than just new clothes. It’s new opportunities and hope and excitement. It’s evidence of forward steps. So many of these children are trapped in a heartbreaking cycle of poverty and are gaining skills to help break free someday. We have already seen huge progress in their academic performances just since entering Kien Svay Kids, and we know its just the beginning!

Would you consider becoming a monthly supporter of CGI, and programs like these that help protect the vulnerable?

A Fantastic 5K!

Empower 5K participants in prayer before the race begins

CGI’s annual Empower 5K was Saturday, and the day could not have been better! The temperature was just cool enough, the sun was shining, and spirits were high as over 150 participants took to the trails at Eagle Creek Park!

 

It was truly an event for the whole family, with plenty of fun activities for kids after the race. Balloon animals, snow cones and games kept the little ones happy, and it was a great chance to be with others who share our vision. Many of the runners/walkers formed teams, and we want to give a HUGE ‘thank you’ to Heidi Nordhoff for organizing her team  of 50+ friends and family members to support CGI!

 

Each year draws more and more participants, and this year was our highest number yet!  It’s so encouraging to see new faces eager to make a difference in the lives of the poor, halfway around the world. Each participant played a role in not just supporting CGI’s programs, but in valuable Kingdom work. We’d love to see even more of you at next year’s event!

 

Thank you for making it a wonderful day!

 

 

Gardening for a Great Cause!

Alicia Cecil at University Park

Alicia Cecil at University Park

Kids and dirt! They seem to go together, don’t they? Alicia Cecil’s idea to give children a reason to play in the dirt will benefit CGI’s Culinary Training Center in Cambodia.

During the CGIKids’ event at University Park, Saturday, May 11, Alicia invited Green Mango Café & Bakery cookbook authors Sonja and Alex Overhiser to speak to families gathered in Greenwood. The Overhisers explained how CGI’s Resident Chef Ryana DeArmond teaches food preparation skills that help students find work. Many former students are currently employed at CGI’s Green Mango Café & Bakery.DSC_0005

Alicia challenged the children to grow produce that could be sold to help fund CGI’s culinary program. Families were given buckets with tomato plants. Ten and a half weeks later, Wednesday, July 24, the kids were able to sell tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers, and rhubarb at the Greenwood Farmers’ Market.

While playing in the dirt is fun, growing food is even better. Gardening for a Great Cause!

by Joyce Long

Hearts to Help Cambodian Kids

CGI Kids“Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and  white, All are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

When Clare Herbert Woolston (1856-1927) penned these lyrics to a Civil War marching tune, she had no idea that children decades later would still be singing them. Nor would she fathom how CGI KIDS would someday take these words to heart. All she knew is that Jesus loves children and so should we. (Matthew 19:14)VBS Uniforms

When 75 kids during Fountaintown Christian Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) learned about their Cambodian counterparts, they wanted to help. They raised $1,800, some of which has already been used to purchase school uniforms. Costing $10 each, an estimated one-third of the families cannot afford the three-four uniforms required for each of their children to attend school.

DSC01176Having clean water to drink is also a huge need for families living in extreme poverty. Recently one hundred kids from Southside Bible Church’s VBS have helped by contributing money for 23 water filters.

When kids here break their piggy banks and ask for more chores to help kids in Cambodia, Jesus smiles. He may even be singing!