12 Days, National Exam, & 50 Cents

Process

12 more days until her interview at the US Embassy!

Rakeb

Rakeb is not only preparing for her visa interview. When students complete 10^th grade, they must take a national exam. If they pass the exam they can move on to 11^th grade. If not, they must redo 10^th grade and take the test again the following year. Just a little pressure on Rakeb this month…

Rakeb smelling soap that is handmade by survivors of human trafficking.

Ethiopia

I work for an organization in Boulder, Colorado called iEmpathize. We work hard to prevent human trafficking, rescue children who are trapped in human trafficking, and restore survivors of human trafficking. This is an issue in the United States, Mexico, Canada, etc. Really in every country! Ethiopia is no different. After 9pm on the road I walked to reach my apartment each day, the shops would close and young women would appear in front of the metal bars protecting the shop door. These girls stand outside in the rainy 40-degree weather with no umbrella, waiting for drunk men to leave the bars and desire “company”. Some may try to argue differently, but to me there is no way that a young woman would willingly do this. It only gets worse when you learn how much these girls are selling their bodies for, 10 Ethiopian Birr, or the equivalent of about $0.50 or $0.60. 

This beautiful hotel courtyard is where I spent much of my time in rural Ethiopia. Unfortunately European members of the United Nations' World Food Program stayed here as well and supported human trafficking by buying women that are forced to have sex against their will.