Hi Friends,
Even the smallest acts of kindness can mean the world to a survivor of sex trafficking. You may remember that when we first rescued Snowy, who was just 12 years old at the time, we gave her a doll. What we didn’t know is that it was the first doll she had ever owned. “I never dreamed of having a doll,” she told us.
A Freedom Fighter like you took these words to heart. “Igrett” is a skilled seamstress and businesswoman in Eastern Europe. For years, she has owned a small business where she makes and sells dolls and clothes. Growing up, she always knew about Human Trafficking. “We’re a small country that struggles a lot with this,” she says. “Everyone knows at least a little bit about the problem or knows about someone who has been affected by it.”
She heard about Uncaged through a chance meeting. One day, she took her car to an auto service station and our Europe Director happened to be there, too. They struck up a conversation, and he shared about our work in Romania and beyond. Igrett immediately wanted to get involved, but she wasn’t sure how. That’s when our Europe Director suggested she make dolls for survivors. Igrett ran with the idea.
“It makes me feel so good,” she says. “I want to help the ladies and the children. I even try to customize the dolls so that their faces and hair matches the survivors. I make clothes for the dolls like dresses and doctors outfits to help the survivors dream about their own lives.”
Igrett has already made dozens of dolls as a sign of welcome and hope for survivors. When the Covid-19 travel bans lift, she wants to do even more. “When I can, I want to volunteer at the Sanctuary and teach the survivors how to make the dolls, too,” she says. She knows firsthand that making dolls can sustain a family and bring hope to others.
Every day, we hear of more abolitionists like Igrett rising up and lending their talents to this fight against human trafficking. It can look like making dolls to welcome child survivors. It can look like teaching survivors to make cards. It can look like praying for survivors and encouraging our work here. Igrett is the perfect reminder that each of us has a part to play in unlocking transformation for survivors. We are so grateful for her, just as we are grateful for you.