Sevenly | Giving Back To A Cause Near And Dear To My Heart

A couple weeks ago, I posted about my volunteer experience at the Capital Area Food Bank in D.C. and of how I wanted to find more ways to use my blog as a platform to give back. Well what do you know, right around the same time I was contacted by Sevenly.org with an opportunity to help give back to a cause that is actually very near and dear to my heart… The fight against human trafficking, specifically the trafficking of children in Southeast Asia. As 1/2 of my ethnic identity is Cambodian, I make it my business to be aware about what is going on in Cambodia and surrounding countries in the Southeast Asian Peninsula. And let me tell you, the trafficking of children in this area is bad; really, really bad.

All across Southeast Asia, millions of children are living in the streets. The region’s slave trade preys on these kids, transporting them across borders to work as prostitutes in brothels, forcing them to beg for money, or using them to traffic drugs. The sad part about it is that these homeless children are looked down upon by society and are not recognized by the state. Meaning because they have no papers a.k.a. legal documents, they have no voice or representation from the government..

Which is why this week, I am partnering with Not For Sale + Sevenly to rescue children at risk of being trafficked. Not For Sale has a children’s home/rehab center in Thailand that offers refuge to such homeless children at risk. The children are not just from Thailand; some are kids who were abducted and brought into Thailand from bordering countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Burma, among many other places before they were rescued.

^^^ “No Act Of Kindness Is Ever Too Soon” T-Shirt: Found Here

Here’s How It Works: For every item purchased this week, Sevenly will donate $7 to Not For Sale. With a goal of raising $7,000 this week, Sevenly is so close to meeting their mark which is where YOU come in. Like the shirt I’m wearing and the cause that it supports? Buy it and just like that, you’ve made an impact. :)

Still not sure about the difference your purchase can make? Then watch this video of how Not For Sale founder, David Batstone, came to establish this organization that now has centers based in Peru, the Netherlands, India, South Africa, and Romania. While my focus for today’s post is on the trafficking of children in Southeast Asia, let’s not forget that human trafficking is a world issue that also has a major footprint right here in America…

Whether you do or do not decide to purchase a shirt, I hope that you come away from this post with a little more awareness about an issue that is generally pushed to the wayside because for many people, ignorance is bliss. Like.. people hear about it but because they don’t actually see it, they don’t think it’s actually happening either because they aren’t trained to see it or they simply just don’t want to. But with a father who worked in law enforcement, I was raised to always be aware of my surroundings and the issues that plague my locale and on a grand scale, the world.

I personally recommend to friends who express an interest in learning more about human trafficking in Southeast Asia to go watch the movie, Trade Of Innocents, as an introduction to the subject. While it isn’t a documentary, the movie does a great job in realistically portraying the environment/scenarios of human trafficking that children in Southeast Asia deal with every single day. It’s not an easy movie to get through but I promise you’ll come away from the movie with a feeling of needing to do more which is where most people get stuck. They want to do more but don’t know where to begin…

Which is why I think Sevenly is so great. They help to connect and support the causes of many organizations with people who want to do more. Their socially aware products are proof that 1) People Matter and 2) No Act Of Kindness Is Ever Too Soon.

For More Information About The Not For Sale + Sevenly Campaign: Click Here.