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Everyday Abolitionist is a recurring feature on the blog where we’ll hear firsthand from someone using their skills, talents, and opportunities to fight trafficking. This time around we have Maria Van Hoorn who works with Hagar USA.

RESTORE, our benefit event for Hagar, is this Saturday! If you want to support this benefit for Hagar and can’t come to the show, you can donate to Hagar online and put RESTORE in the comments on the donation page.

How did you first find out about human trafficking?

I was enrolled in a Peace and Justice course in college and we focused on variety of topics related to human rights and social injustice. When the issue of human trafficking came up, it gripped my heart. I was shocked to learn that children and their families in Mali (West Africa) were tricked by traffickers, promising education and brighter future. Instead, these children were being forced to work long hours, in slave-like conditions on coffee and cocoa plantations in Cote D’Ivoire. After learning this I urgently needed to do something.

What is it about the issue of trafficking that compelled you to action?

The fact that other people are willing to trick, coerce, sell, and buy their own kind—their brothers and sisters , their children and friends—simply to make a profit is absolutely horrifying! And then, when I learned that I was contributing to human trafficking as consumer (and had been completely unaware of it), I was determined to act immediately. I knew I needed to change my behavior as a consumer and do something substantial to help women and children trafficked for sex.

Describe how you’re using your talents and abilities to fight trafficking.

I fight human trafficking in my professional life through my work with Hagar USA, a support office for Hagar International. Hagar provides holistic long-term services to women and children who are trafficked and abused in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Vietnam. The holistic services include counseling, residential care (shelter), legal support, medical services, education, and job training. Every day I try to educate and motivate others to help survivors of human trafficking by donating or taking action.

I also combat human trafficking as a consumer. I buy jewelry, accessories, and gifts at Stop Traffick Fashion and Kingdom Ventures. Last year, I bought Stop Traffick purses for my bridesmaids. They loved them, and it was a great opportunity to talk about what we can do to combat human trafficking. I also buy food products with a fair trade label, like coffee, chocolate, sugar, molasses, and so on.

Most importantly, I donate regularly to Hagar USA and other organizations combating human trafficking.

Why is it important for individuals to get involved in stopping trafficking?

I think Martin Luther King Jr. says it best: “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice anywhere.”

What advice do you have for people who are interested in getting involved in trafficking but don’t know where to start?

Ooo … I like this question! People can do something in less than 5 minutes that will make a huge impact and it’s really easy …
DONATE TO HAGAR NOW! No excuses. It’s easy and every one can do it. Yes, every one. Skip dinner out tonight and eat a modest meal—donate the difference.

Better yet, donate $10 a month or more. What did you spend $10 on last month? Ten dollars is nothing when we seriously evaluate how we spend our money in a month. If you’re serious about combating human trafficking, this is the first step… and it’s the easiest one.

Second Step: Call or email me, and I’ll give you plenty of ideas.

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