"When mothers are rescued from slavery, children grow up in freedom" -IJM
Today, we are highlighting a grant partner of The Dressember Foundation, the International Justice Mission (IJM). Dressember has been partnered with IJM since the very first campaign, back in 2013.
International Justice Mission is the largest anti-slavery organization in the world.
Continue reading to learn about the story of one of IJM's slavery survivors.
Every individual has a story.
Every individual deserves to be free.
Thaiyamma is a survivor whose family was enslaved for 3 years over a loan of just $15.
She and her husband took the loan because their infant daughter fell sick and they needed to pay for her visit to the hospital. As payment to their loan provider, he forced them to become his slaves.
IJM worked alongside local officials to locate Thaiyamma’s family. She was brave and spoke up about her forced servitude when she was 9 months pregnant with her second child, despite the looming threat of physical abuse from her owner "The Beast". This led to their rescue.
When she gave birth soon after, Thaiyamma looked at her infant son and said “I never knew I was going to see you. I never knew that I would meet you in freedom, and here you are.” Her son Bablu wouldn't have been born in freedom had it not been for the IJM rescue team.
Watch her recount her story below in a video showcasing IJM's most recent campaign, Born Free.
You can also read more of Thaiyamma's story here.
IJM is an anti-slavery superstar: they have rescued over 45,000 victims of slavery, just like Thaiyamma, over the past two decades.
How have they managed to do this?
They have a proven 3 step module which is systematically helping end the cycle of slavery:
Rescue missions to free victims of modern slavery.
Engagement with local law enforcement agencies to imprison slave owners. From starting an investigation to the charge of a crime, IJM is right there with the law.
Legislative lobbying to strengthen judicial systems and support anti-slavery laws.
These three steps tie in nicely with IJM's mission: "Rescue Thousands. Protect Millions. Prove that Justice for the poor is possible."
