Zurich, Switzerland [ADRA CH; CD EUDNews]. To keep girls safe means to protect them from the poorest region in Thailand before trafficking. ADRA takes care of the school fees for the children of the mountain tribes, warns the peoples of the traffickers and puts the most vulnerable girls in a home where they can safely grow up and even have a good education.
Project
In the major cities of Thailand approximately 600,000 prostitutes under 18 and 200,000 12-year-olds and under, work in the streets, karaoke bars, brothels and restaurants. Dealers pay at least $ 450 for a Thai-speaking girl and only $ 100 for girls from the mountain tribes. Once the girls are sold, they live in appalling conditions: they are locked in brothels and often do not see daylight for more than two years. It is estimated that 40% of prostitutes originally come from poor Northern Thailand.
The far northern region is largely inhabited by hill tribes. Because of poverty they are excluded from society and live in primitive conditions. The fathers work hard if they can find some manual labour, but they only earn about 26 cents for an 8-hour day. This must suffice for food, water, medical aid and clothing for the entire family. This means that parents cannot afford education for their children.
But even if they could afford to send their children to school, they wouldn't be able to follow the lessons because they do not speak Thai. These very limited economic opportunities often lead these people to an act of desperation: they sell their girls to traffickers.
ADRA has built the "Keep Girls Safe" program, which pays special attention to the needs of the hill tribes. For Only $ 100 ADRA provides a family with everything they need, plus school supplies such as text books, uniforms, school fees, food and Thai lessons in the evening.
The Shelter provides a safe place for about 35 acutely vulnerable girls. Here they receive food, home, education and vocational training. In addition, they are trained in positive life skills. The project trains girls and young women in mental, spiritual, moral and social skills. They are taught human and children's rights, the risk of child trafficking, sex and reproduction, health care, hygiene and basic health care. These young girls can grow up in a safe environment and with the training they receive, they can look forward to a better future.