There is a very great evil in the world that stalks the innocent and defenseless, preying almost exclusively on the most vulnerable. A dark remnant of the past we thought had been destroyed long ago, but it was only hiding. We have even changed it's very name, but what we now call human trafficking is still slavery. It was estimated by the US Dept. of State that as many as 27,000,000 people are held in slavery throughout the world, and 13,000,000 of them are children. Human trafficking is estimated to currently generate 32 to 42 billion dollars globally per year in revenue and is accelerating. The US is the fastest growing market in the world with 300,000 people per year being trafficked here alone and 100,000 of them are children. The majority of these children are being trafficked for sexual purposes. It seems the most effective way to combat the flow into developed nations is to interupt and shorten the supply through education. 
In Thailand, prostitution is illegal but corruption is rampant and there is a thriving sex industry anyway. Fully half of all those prostituted are under the age of 14. A large number of these are child sex slaves who were kidnapped, or were homeless, hungry and were deceived. But worst of all some are even sold by their family, the mothers and fathers who were supposed to protect and defend them. Looked on as mere property, they are held against their will, beaten, tortured, starved into submission and even caged or chained when they resist. A rapidly growing number are being sold and smuggled into other countries including the US where they fear police and don't speak the language so can't ask for help anyway. Is there nothing that can be done?
YES THERE IS, and here's what we're doing:Thailand is certainly not the worst offender in the region and is beginning to work against the problem of Human Trafficking and these efforts should be encouraged. Open Arms World Outreach is dedicated to intervening and proactively rescuing ‘at risk’ children who have been victims of human trafficking. Initial financing and subsequent start-up of the project will be primarily from donations and grants. Future growth and operational support will then come predominately from a number of joint business ventures being developed in Thailand. One such venture, manufacturing affordable fiberglass housing, would directly create thousands of living wage jobs for Thai people. Utilizing this diverse funding approach will promote greater long term stability of our continued operations and help reduce poverty, thereby putting fewer children at risk in the first place.
Initially, OAWO is working to help an orphanage near Lampang that is faithfully caring for rescued children with very little support. There are still many more kids that need their help, but they are beyond capacity already. We are actively seeking funds to help provide for the needs of the children in their care and allow them to expand. Operating on a very limited budget, one of the special needs is a bus so they can take kids to meetings, on field trips and outings. However, the primary focus of OAWO is to develop a rescue outreach in the Chiang Mai area. This project will then be replicated in other areas of Thailand and throughout the region. The overall objective is to provide victimized children with protection, counseling, education, moral guidance and the opportunity to just be children. A hiqh quality education is an invaluable tool that is crucial to giving students the chance to excel, succeed and positively impact their world. So, we will build and operate a private children's academy that will provide secure shelter with specialized counseling for those who have no safe place to go. Students will also receive good nutritious food, medical care, clothing and all their other needs. However, the key to their future is an education, but not just any education. It must be exceptional from an accredited school giving them the edge they need to overcome the extra obstacles they face. To start with, leadership, citizenship, language and life skills training will be mandatory for all students. We are focussing on four main areas of specialization. First, engineering, hi-tech and computer sciences, and medical sciences are critical high market value jobs and will offer a prominent and secure future to qualified students. We will assist our graduates to secure scholarships or other financing, find placement in the finest universities and will provide living assistance if needed during this time. Secondly is business management, and this program will also concentrate on exraordinary preparation for university placement. In addition, for those motivated and qualified students there will also be a small business incubator program. These students will start, successfully operate and then migrate into society with a viable small business that they own. Continued counseling and support will be available to them increasing their success. In turn, this will generate a positive impact on local economies givimg students a means to support themselves, and provide gainful employment for others. Third, there will be those who wish to learn a trade or to seek work in one of the highly prized civil service jobs. We will similarly assist them with placement in a good trade school or civic college. Fourth is the seminary and teacher training program for those who choose to serve their fellow man in this way. To equip these students to earn a living wage income and achieve good social standing they will be trained as teachers and counselors, both being respected professions. It is important to recognize that children are the future of every society. We must provide them with the tools they need to make their world better than they found it, so the debilitating conditions they have endured will no longer exist for others. 
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