Rana’s harrowing story of being trafficked mirrors the plight of millions of Southeast Asian women. Rana (name changed to protect survivor privacy) grew up in an impoverished family in rural Cambodia. When her best friend promised her a good job in China, she jumped at the chance. She was going to be a “good daughter” and help her family. But when she arrived in China, her best friend sold her to a
LIFT International operates programs as part of Hagar International. Learn more about the merger here. Fai’s harrowing story of trafficking ultimately ended in freedom through justice with her brave testimony and LIFT International’s dedicated support. Fai* grew up in a hill tribe village in Northern Thailand. “We didn’t have much,” she says. “But we had some, and I was happy.” Her dad made and sold charcoal and her mom was a day
Mien enjoyed spending time with her friends and would often visit her close friend’s rented room for social gatherings and chatting. But one day, she discovered a hidden phone recording her while she was taking a shower. Shocked and terrified, Mien reported the incident to the police, but no evidence was found. The traumatic experience left Mien feeling hopeless and anxious, causing her to lose weight and live in constant fear. She
Like any loving parent, Lua wanted what was best for her and her daughter. She worked tirelessly at her small sidewalk stall in Vietnam, but it wasn’t enough. When a customer approached her with a dream opportunity – the chance to have a high-paying job in the UK – Lua filled in the form, paid the (sizeable) fee, and submitted her identity documents. Lua put everything into the opportunity for the promise
Whether it’s tailoring like Samira (pictured left), farming like Rachana (center) or running a successful cafe like Lua (right), economic empowerment is critical for survivors and vulnerable women to flourish with dignity. Right now, your support is helping 500 women and youth in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam receive career counseling, on-the-job training and business start-up capital. These are crucial skills and opportunities for survivors and vulnerable women to thrive in freedom and
Rachana and her husband Savan desperately wanted to provide a hopeful future for their two children. But their tiny village near Cambodia’s border with Thailand had few job opportunities. There was never enough money to buy food, let alone pay for their children to go to school. As the demands piled up, Rachana and Savan fell into debt. When they heard about high-paying jobs in Thailand, they sent their children to stay
When Samira was introduced to Hagar, she felt sad and hopeless. She’d experienced countless financial pressures and hardships throughout her young life. During her first pregnancy, Samira and her husband couldn’t afford for her to eat a healthy diet or to seek proper medical. When Samira lost the baby, she suffered from trauma and emotional distress. At Hagar’s Restoring Livelihoods program, Samira trained to be a tailor. She quickly gained the
When Jacob* arrived at Hagar, he was sad and angry. He was only 12 years old but trauma was already etched on his face. Instead of warmth and safety, Jacob’s life at home was rife with violence and danger. The abuse and threats from his stepfather were severe and they happened almost every day. Jacob felt his only hope was to run away from home. In the middle of the night, Jacob
Hagar pursues the highest degree of care and protection for each of its clients. To protect the identity of our clients, names have been changed and images do not necessarily represent the individual profiled.
Used to the city’s most noisy and difficult place- the wholesale market since childhood, Binh forged herself to be tough, resilient and independent to survive in a harsh environment. But no matter how strong her voice was, her sound was mute at home. In her house, nothing could be heard except her husband’s cursing, shouting and beatings. Binh had interacted with Hagar before and after receiving support and advice, she thought she
By partnering with Hagar, you answer the cries of human suffering. Our work is dependent on charitable giving by people like you.
