Love!

Love others like there is no tomorrow; fight injustice like tomorrow is our future.

– Maria

Further on

I know I write a lot about the dreadful and overwhelming facts of reality, but my aim is also to write about the organizations and people who carry out good deeds in the fight to make a change and overturn injustice, who fight for the freedom of all people. So don´t lose hope! There are organizations and people who truly move mountains in their fight against poverty and injustice.

Sometimes you need to face reality and stare the naked truth in the white of its eye, then regather your strength and determine to do something about the problem. Knowledge is needed to make a change. If we are not aware of the people who suffer, we may assume everything is fine, or worse still, that everyone lives as we do. But stay tuned. I will write at length about the organizations and the work they do, how we can practically participate and make a change, and the testimonies of the people whose lives have been changed because of the people who work to make the world a better place.

All love to you! /Maria

Standard of life

According to the Convention of the Rights of the Child, every child is born with the right to the standard of living adequate for the child´s mental, spiritual, physical, moral, and social development. When State parties sign and ratify the convention, they undertake to ensure the child the protection and care necessary for their well-being. They also undertake to ensure that institutions, services, and facilitates who answer for the child’s care or protection, specially in areas of safety and health, conform with the standards established by competent authorities.

The picture is taken in India by one of my friends. Children who beg on the street. Every child has the right not only to live, but to live well. Let us fight for them, for their right to a fair life.

Quote

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

Hard words but true ones

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

A reminder

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

Let us help those in need.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

– Martin Luther King Jr.

People are not for sale

Sometimes a picture can say more than words.

Natasja

I read about a girl called Natasja*. She was eager to do something with her life, and when she met a man who offered her a job in another country, she jumped at the opportunity. She was happy to get the chance to work, and she was told she would be working in a casino; but like so many other young girls, she was sold into prostitution. It breaks my heart to read about the horrible things that happened to her. She was abused physically, mentally, and sexually. But she never resigned herself to her circumstances or gave up. She tried to escape, and though she was terribly beaten for trying, she tried again and again. She was finally taken to Sweden where her pimp sold her to a brothel, where she was forced to service many customers every day and regularly abused and/or starved. One day she was sick and one of her customers heard how she had been lured into prostitution and sold. He gave an anonymous tip to the police, who came and set her free. I have no words. Only tears inside my heart.

You see, this is the story of only one of tens of thousands of young girls trapped in slavery.

“Trafficking in humans is not a new phenomenon, but its extent and effects are devastating. Especially women and children are recruited, transported and sold and bought within countries and across borders to engage in prostitution and otherwise exploited. Human trafficking is a crime that often transcend national boundaries and includes the countries of origin, transit and destination countries. Human trafficking has various purposes -in addition to prostitution and other serious forms of sexual exploitation can be victims of trafficking also subjected to forced labor, slavery, servitude or organ trafficking and other forms of exploitation.” http://www.brottsoffermyndigheten.se/

We need to make a change. This is not right! It is time to end this slavery!

*Not her real name

Owned by someone else

One night I had a horrible nightmare. I was one of many young girls, each of us was very young but sold of to elderly men. It was strange because I didn´t know where I came from, but I was dependent upon a lady who took care of us but treated us like commodities. She was the only one we could rely on, despite her abuse of us. Every one of the girls were sold off to serve elderly men. For some reason in my dream, one of the girls got the chance to stay with a kind old lady and a young girl. They found out how the girl had been treated and tried to help her escape. Then I woke up. It was such a terrible dream.

But that’s the thing. I could wake up from the nightmare and leave it behind. Unfortunately it is reality for young girls around the globe. 1.2 million children are trafficked each year, many of them ending up in the sex industry. Children as young as four are treated like commodities. It’s hard to imagine the fear and panic the feel, the hopelessness brought about by the betrayal of the adult workld. There are no words to express how terrible this is. But please do no be discouraged, my friends. There is hope!

Take a look at these two organisations who work to help girls just like these : http://www.theA21campaign.org and www.notforsalecampaign.org