Hope and freedom
Wow, we're at Alert Level 1! Isn't that exciting?For me Alert Level 4 seems so long ago, a distant memory. At the time I wanted to see family and friends, pop out for a spot of shopping and a coffee. At the time it seemed like we'd never get to Alert Level 3 but we did and now we're near the end. We had hope that one day things would return to normal.
Do you think that trafficking victims have that same hope? I don't think I would if I was in their position. Day in, day out working for someone else who controls life. And I'm sure if you were to show any signs that you had hope for a brighter future it would probably be squashed immediately.
The freedom we had in lockdown would have been absolute bliss for someone who has been trafficked and is working in horrible conditions, not to mention the hope that we had.
Tearfund and the partners they work with give hope and freedom to those trapped by human trafficking. You can help them by sponsoring me as I walk 79km, the distance of a well-known trafficking route between Laos and Thailand.
Supply and demand
In fifth form accounting we learnt about supply and demand, that if there is demand for something then the volume of that product is increased to meet the demand. (Just to let you in on a little secret, accounting is not my strong suit - I originally received 48% for School Cert accounting but after a recount I received 50%).Anyway, did you know that this same supply and demand idea applies to people as well, yes that's right, human beings just like you and me.
Unfortunately some people see fellow humans as a product to be brought, sold and used. Did you know that without demand for prostitution or pornography there would be no sex trafficking.
I want to be a voice for those who are seen as a product. I want to stand in the gap and do what they cannot do - fight for freedom.
I really hope that you'll partner with me by donating to the Tearfund Poverty Cycle.
The half way point
The Poverty Cycle runs from June 1 - 14 which means today is day 7 and the half way mark. So here's how I'm tracking...I was aiming to have completed 39.5km by the end of today (half of 79km) but I'm 4.8km shy. It's not a huge amount and I'll definitely be able to achieve my goal of 79km by next Sunday.
I am blown away by the generosity of those who have partnered with me so far, and to you I want to say a huge THANK YOU! I set a goal to raise $1000 and so far I have raised $783!
I'm looking forward to this coming week and seeing those kilometers tick down but I'm more excited to hear news in the coming months and years of people being rescued from human trafficking because I chose to raise awareness of what was happening and that you were willing to give.
Have a break?
Yesterday was a bit crazy at our place. We had places to be and things to do so I didn't do any walking towards my 79km.While it felt nice to have a break I couldn't help but think about those that I am walking for.
Because of the way these people have gotten 'jobs' (and I use that term extremely loosely) the chance of them getting a break would be pretty much non-existant.
Next time you're at work and are late for your break or you leave a few minutes late spare a thought for those who have no choice as to what hours they work, what conditions they work in or who they work for.
That's why I'm walking, so the money raised can be used to remove people from exploitive situations and help prosecute those who have trafficked them.
I need new shoes
I need new shoes is something that has escaped the lips of most females at some stage during their life. And here I am, 23.6km in, thinking that I too need new shoes.I'm not exactly sure how long I've had my current pair but my toes are starting to pop out and the backs are worn and causing me blisters. Part of me thinks "suck it up Hannah, they're not that bad", while the other part says "any excuse for a new pair of shoes".
So what do I need to think about when buying my new shoes? Colour, style, comfort, cost, anything else? While I'm considering these things, they're all about me, about what I want, but what about the person who actually made them? Were they given a fair wage, did they actually want to be working in that factory or were they being forced to work there? What were their working conditions like, how many hours did they have to work in a day?
The very thing that I'm walking to end is supported by the very thing that helps me walk - my shoes! But it doesn't have to be that way. Tearfund has an 'Ethical Fashion Guide' which grades fashion companies on ethical practices so we can choose to support those companies and reduce worker exploitation.
So I guess I'll check out the 'Ethical Fashion Guide' before hitting the shoe shops so I can make an informed decision and do my small part in the fight against human trafficking and exploitation.
Nearly quarter of the way...
I can't believe that I'm nearly quarter of the way through my challenge! I enjoy having something to work towards, the light at the end of the tunnel.But how is it for someone trapped in slavery? There is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Did you know that an estimated 40.3 million people are trapped in slavery today? That's more than ever before in history!
We can often look at a number like that and think 'what I can do to help, I'm just one person', but if we all play a small role we can make a difference.
I made a decision to make a difference by walking 79km and sharing about modern day slavery. Now I need you to play your part by donating to this amazing cause so those trapped in slavery today can have a light at the end of their tunnel.
The pain is real!
Day two saw another 5.2km taken off the 79km I'm aiming to walk.After my 6.6km yesterday I realised that my shoes had given me blisters. I've had these shoes for years but they are slowly wearing out at the back hence the blisters.
So this morning I grabbed a couple of plasters and didn't do my shoes up quite as tight and set to it.
While I was walking I realised that the pain I was going through was nothing compared to the pain of those who are trafficked. My pain was only physically while theirs is physical, emotional, pyschological, spiritual. I still had my beautiful children with me and knew my husband would return from work, they have no idea what the next hour, day or week will bring, they have no idea if they will ever see their family again. I could stop and get off the treadmill but they can't, they're at the mercy of someone else, someone who is using them for their own gain.
But do you know what? You can be someone's plaster, someone's relief. The pain from what they endure will never fully go away but with our support they can be rescued and start to heal. They can experience life as it was meant to be lived, with a future filled with hope.
Day One done and dusted
I decided that if I was to walk 79km over 14 days I'd need to walk about 6km each day. To be honest I can't remember the last time I walked 6km in one go, maybe 10 years ago when I went tramping for my Gold DOE expedition.I am pleased to say that I just walked 6.6km and I survived! I've got a pretty good setup with the treadmill in the second lounge so it's easy to know how far I've gone and keep track over the coming days.
Not sure how my legs are going to feel tomorrow but hopefully I can still walk.
We're fundraising for Tearfund
It breaks my heart when I read about women, children and men being forced to work against their will for someone else's gain. These people are someone's mother, sister, aunt. Someone's daughter, son, friend. Someone's husband, brother, uncle.
I'm standing in the gap and taking up the Tearfund Poverty Cycle challenge to help combat human trafficking and exploitation.
Please help by sponsoring me and give a hope and a future to those trapped by human trafficking and exploitation.
#moveforfreedom
Thank you to my Sponsors
$208
Bruce Vermeulen
$208
Heather Vermeulen
$118
Nicole Cunningham
Great effort, Hannah
$100
Anonymous
$82.16
Ernie Styles
Great cause,
$52
Belinda C
Well done
$52
Liandra Allen
$50
Samara And Tony Strugnell
Good cause, Go Hannah
$26
Gerald & Barbs
Great cause , all the best!
$26
Diane Willemsen
Great cause Hannah, well done.
$20.80
Anonymous
I wish you all the best beautiful lady??
$20.80
The Diack’s
So proud of you Hannah!
$20.80
Jessica Worboys
❤❤❤
$15.60
Well done for caring about the lives of other people.