Join us for The Seeds Storyteller Series: Difference-Making During the Corona Crisis in which I’ll be talking with Katie Hilborn, founder of Global Orphan Prevention, a friend of mine who is impassioned to prevent the abduction of children in Nepal and the USA. This matters now, in the midst of this Coronavirus crisis and global pandemic, because children around the world are more at risk than ever to fall victim to sex and orphan trafficking. As heavy as this sounds (and it is hard to hear, to be sure), you can count on inspiration and wisdom for life from Katie, who will share stories from her incredible life’s journey to inform, inspire, and ignite your own life’s story. Watch this 45-minute video and you’ll see what I mean!

In case you missed the livestream, check out the replay right here or head to your favorite social media platform: YouTube | IGTV | Facebook. While you’re there, subscribe to join the fun with us at Seeds of Exchange. Keep the convo goin’ in the comments below.

 

 

WHAT you can look forward to in this conversation:

– Be INFORMED about orphan trade and child sex trafficking … and learn about how Coronavirus is impacting both.

The mission of Global Orphan Prevention (GOP) is to prevent the trafficking of children for purposes of orphan or sexual exploitation through economic development, empowerment, and education. GOP addresses the root causes contributing to the 1.2 million children who are orphan and sex trafficked around the world annually. -Katie

– Be INSPIRED by your own ways to cultivate places of pause in your everyday life. enJOY a guided moment to BE STILL and take a “PoP” (Place of Pause) together with a specific idea or two for you to take into your everyday life and practice on your own or with your family so you can experience more peace and strength.

The pause is good. Sitting with yourself is good. Going through a collective experience is helping shift the planet. -Katie

– Be IGNITED from within to act, sharing your unique and one-of-a-kind ways to make a difference with those near and/or far. Discover in Katie’s story a few nuggets of next steps for your own journey.

It’s the small things that eventually lead up to big things. How are you connecting and making an impact within your community? Within your country? And within our planet? -Katie

 

NUDGES for inspired ACTion:

1 – JOIN or VOLUNTEER FOR GOP’s Passport to Freedom Gala in August, 2020 that supports girls in Nepal and in the USA

2 – LEARN MORE & DONATE so girls around the world can become leaders and future changemakers within their communities

3 – COMMIT TO YOUR OWN PLACES OF PAUSE (PoPs). Choose 1 thing to weave into your life from our storyteller’s practice that will create plentyFULL peace within you.

4 – CONNECT WITH, follow, and friend our team

 

Child Trafficking Statistics: Sex Trafficking and Orphan Trafficking

Global Orphan Prevention. (2020). Retrieved May 13, 2020, from Global Orphan Prevention’s website

United States Trafficking:

  • There are 121 Colorado human trafficking cases per year, on average over a 5-year period.
    Polaris Project (2019). “The National Human Trafficking Hotline.” Accessed May 11th, 2019. Retrieved here.
  • 60% of human trafficking victims in the United States who have histories in child welfare. US Department of State (2019). Trafficking In Persons Report 2019. Retrieved here.
  • In the United States alone, child sex trafficking impacts more than 17,000 young people every year. US Department of State (2018). Trafficking In Persons Report 2018. Retrieved here.

Nepal Child Trafficking:

  • 20% of adolescent girls in Ghyangphedi who go “missing” annually. Hilborn, Katie, and Dr. Laxmi Tamang. “Quantitative Data Collection on Missing Persons for Ghyangphedi.” Oct. 2018.
  • 250,000 is the average number of Nepali women and girls currently in the Indian sex trade. Kumar KC, Bal, et al. “Nepal – Trafficking in Girls with Special Reference to Prostitution: A Rapid Assessment (IWFCL, No 2).” International Labour Organization International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), 1 Dec. 2001. Accessed May 11, 2020. Retrieved here.
  • 12,000 children are trafficked every year from Nepal. Kumar KC, Bal, et al. “Nepal – Trafficking in Girls with Special Reference to Prostitution: A Rapid Assessment (IWFCL, No 2).” International Labour Organization International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), 1 Dec. 2001, Accessed 11 May 2020. Retrieved here.

International Trafficking:

  • An estimated 3.8 million adults were victims of forced sexual exploitation and 1.0 million children were victims of commercial sexual exploitation in 2016. The vast majority of victims (99 percent) were women and girls. International Labour Organization. Global Estimates of Modern Slavery. International Labour Organization and Walk Free Foundation, 2017. Retrieved here.

Orphan Trade:

  • Globally, 54-95% of children in orphan homes have one or both parents alive. Csák, Corinna. “Keeping Children out of Harmful Institutions – Why We Should Be Investing in Family-Based Care.” Save the Children, Save the Children, 2009. Retrieved here.
  • 85% of children in orphanages in Nepal have at least one living parent. “Volunteering In Nepal?” UNICEF, 4 Oct. 2018. Retrieved here.
  • International adoption costs between $20,000 and $50,000 USD depending on the country and what’s involved. Child Welfare Information Gateway. Planning for Adoption: Knowing the Costs and Resources. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families, Nov. 2016. Retrieved here.

 

MORE of Katie’s inspiring perspective and inspiring story:

What inspires you in the midst of these days of struggle?

That all is going according to plan.

I’m inspired by the endless quest for truth. I’m a truth seeker. I love being curious, and asking the big questions in life. I’m constantly coming up with theories as to how the Universe was created, how it works, why are we here, what is my life’s purposes.

Also nature inspires me; that’s when the downloads and clarity comes.

 

How do you quiet the noise, the worries, the stress of everyday life? How do you like to encourage others to do the same?

Everyday I wake up and put on an Abraham Hicks recording that’s positive affirmations to have a good day. Then I do yoga while listening to I AM Affirmations on YouTube for health and abundance. I then imagine myself grounded to the planet to create balance within my life. Everything I do is visualization-based meditation. After I create a White Light protection around my body pushing away all things that don’t serve me; negative emotions, thought patterns, disease.

 

Katie’s favorite quote:

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” -Nikola Tesla

 

Given the current impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, how is your life (family, business, organization) being impacted? 

ROSE: The quarantine is allowing me to write and finish my book.

BUD: We’ve brought on a bunch of new volunteers because people have more time of their hands.

THORN: Funding for Global Orphan Prevention has come to a halt. 

What are 3 words that give you hope amidst these disrupted days of work, home, and community?

Global Collective Healing.

Also, knowing my core value: LOVE … and knowing who I AM: I AM a leader, I AM a Unique, I AM valuable.

 

ABOUT the Seeds Storyteller Series:

Difference-Making During the Corona Crisis | Stories of community, compassion, and creativity in the midst of everyday life, today. We share these stories about everyday difference-makers with you in the midst of the Corona pandemic so you can be informed, inspired, and ignited to care for yourself and others in the midst of these disrupted and challenging days. Get ready to find a bit more of your story as you listen to the stories of ARTivists (artist-activists), students, parents, elders, entrepreneurs, and activists!

 

xo,  -Sarah Davison-Tracy ❤️