“But Still, I Rise” End of Year Summary and Fundraiser

 

Dear Partner,

In this unprecedented year, we were honoured to have been able to serve 100+ survivors of sex trafficking and sexual slavery, none of whom were retrafficked. In a year when the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to upend much of the strides that anti-trafficking stakeholders had collectively made in protecting survivors and in preventing trafficking and unsafe migration from Nigeria, the survivors within our program continued to rise, starting, growing or pivoting their businesses via our strategic planning/business diversification trainings that allowed them to withstand the pandemic’s economic impact.  We plan to celebrate their accomplishments on December 29th!

Among other achievements this year, we are especially proud of the groundbreaking research we conducted on recruiters of sex trafficking from Nigeria’s sex trafficking hub: Benin City, Edo State. Both nationally and internationally, this research is shaping the way interventions are designed and the manner in which survivors’ voices are incorporated in the fight against trafficking.

Throughout 2020, we continued to emerge as a thought leader and leading NGO in Nigeria and have become well known for excellence in survivor care and for our innovative, unconventional approaches in tackling some of the country’s worst postures against women and girls. Our The Anchor shelter in Benin City also remains fully operational, serving repatriating survivors from across the globe.  We are starting off 2021 (January) by conducting two trainings that will cull together key service providers for a training on rehabilitation and law enforcement officers for a training on prevention, prosecution and protection of victims. We anticipate a year of additional strides and achievements- all thanks to you!

Notwithstanding what we’ve achieved, there is still so much more to be done!  Please continue to support our transformative work with a donation that can be made right here on our website (Paypal and Paystack available) or via Guaranty Trust Bank (Nigeria): Account 0164719490. You can also email donate @pathfindersji.org for additional information.

From Pathfinders and all our courageous survivors who continue to rise, thank you and best wishes for the upcoming year!

Until all are free,
R. Evon Benson-Idahosa

Pathfinders Justice Initiative