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- Prevent Human Trafficking using technology to tell stories of empowerment and successful micro philanthropy
Prevent Human Trafficking using technology to tell stories of empowerment and successful micro philanthropy
Voting Summary (Elevator Pitch):
Everyday people can prevent human trafficking! We use digital media to educate and empower by making human-to-human connections, & showcasing amazing, sustainable solutions that anyone can be part of as a new micro-philanthropist or activist.
Supporting organization:
Project Hope International, Inc.,
URL:
http://www.phi-ngo.org/
City:
Washington
State/Region:
DC
Country:
USA
Project Vision Statement & Potential Social Impact:
We want to empower everyday people to prevent human trafficking by making connections online to educate and create hopeful action to replace feelings of despair too often reported by people who care about the issue, but feel helpless to act.
We know the power of a photograph -- and plan to use the thousands we have in our library to educate online via webinars, photographic essays, and demonstrations of "best practice" in micro philanthropy on the ground at work preventing human trafficking.
Everyone can be part of the solution, and we plan on driving this point home by creating compelling video interviews with some of the amazing people we work with every day who have made small choices to be part of the solution. These videos will be located on our website and others, hopefully using a user friendly format such as http://www.see3.net/
Working to tie our pictures of HOPE with the work of a photojournalist in our network who has shot this work: http://www.fondationscelles.org/index.php?option=com_expose&Itemid=48
we will educate about the issue using a similar slideshow format, but the twist will come as we break down the simple ways that everyday people can be part of the solution as we show our own photographs and inspiring interviews using digital technology on our website.
At Project Hope International (PHI) we understand that the most effective way to bring around an end to the horror of human trafficking is to deal directly with the issues of poverty, gender inequality, lack of education and citizenship that make people vulnerable to being trafficked in the first place. We are working to support some of the pioneers in the anti-trafficking movement in South East Asia offering them financial and technical assistance to help them in their work to tackle the root causes of human trafficking while also PREVENTING future trafficking.
We want EVERYONE to feel that they, too, can help this effort and be empowered by the endless possibilities for change as a result of a hopeful approach to a difficult issue.
Sustainability (financial) model:
Since our founding in 1999, we have built a solid base of support for our work. We have a minimum of 50K in core foundation funding annually to sustain programmatic goals. We are constantly exploring new fundraising opportunities, and are able to generate additional funds each year through fee-for-service trainings on the issue both nationally and interationally.
We have raised $10K in new start up funds for this project to date, and plan to kick off a matching campaign on May 1, 2007 at the National Press Club event we have slated to bring together a diverse crowd who care about the issue and want to know how they can help the movement
.
Potential obstacles:
- Lack of tech support to launch a web campaign around our prevention program (ideally, we envision using our photographs in slide show form on our site and others to present the issue to the public and solicit their support)
- Lack of knowledge about how to tap into online networks to fundraise
- Lack of in house knowledge of the technology we could use to accomplish our goals
- Lack of equipment (video cameras, etc.) to capture the incredible stories of survivors of trafficking and their tireless champions at work on the ground in Thailand. If their stories could be told and people in the US could take a virtual tour of our projects on the ground, we have no doubt we'd be able to raise the funds.
- Lack of professional expertise @ video/audio/podcast advocacy tools and methods
- Inability (so far) to find a few videographers, etc. to travel with us to Thailand to film the projects on the ground and create the virtual tours that would be so powerful if posted online via our site and others
Resource Needs:
You name it, we need it! Not having a resident techie, and the pro bono services of only one wonderful web developer/designer, we are at a bit of a loss for what we need in terms of tools, technology, strategy and actual tech expertise to pull of our big ideas to raise as much $$ online for our trafficking prevention campaign using micro-philanthrophy and occupational training.
We need a professional or two to travel with us at the end of July this year (staying 2 weeks or less) to accompany our annual awareness raising tour/Trafficking 101 program in Thailand. The goal this year is to capture on video and audio the truly inspiring stories of our partner organizations, young activists, and philanthropists comitted to preventing human trafficking. These interviews would then be webcast via our site.
Basically, we are looking for a team of great people who can tell us how we can accomplish our goals using existing and emerging technology.
Key Milestones:
Focus groups/audience feedback opportunity directly with the photojournalist and ED of Project HOPE International to determine impact of diverse presentations of the issue (slated for Boston, Chicago, and Washington, DC.) on various audiences. April - May, 2007.
Media event May 1, 2007 and traveling display of selected photographs at the National Press Club in Washington, DC (already arranged and confirmed for May 1 - 31, 2007).
Choosing contrasting photographs based on participants reactions and member feedback (May - June 2007)
Identifying and contacting the individuals whom we'd like to interview/video with their empowerment message (June 2007)
Compiling the slideshows and captions/messaging (June 2007)
Conducting, recording, editing, posting audio/video interviews (July 2007)
ANNOUNCE the new material through every medium possible to reach new audiences! (July - August, 2007!)
Project Summary:
The difference between these two pictures is YOU! We believe in empowering everyday people to prevent human trafficking. By showing photographs and telling stories using digital media to both educate and empower, we plan to change the way people think about human trafficking -- and inspire involvement in being part of the solution!
Since 1999, our organization has empowered hundreds of everyday people to prevent human trafficking and create solutions to this seemingly insurmountable problem by giving them hope and channels for their availble time and resources. We have used traditional methods of communication, and are excited by the yet unexplored possibilities for greater effectiveness of this empowerment model using new tools to reach a wider community online. We envision creating educational slideshows to stimulate understanding of the issue from a hopeful perspective -- one where each person is part of the solution. We also would like to create a series of video/audio interviews of everyday activists within our rapidly growing network to demonstrate the power of people in the US working on behalf of people in Southeast Asia to "use what they choose" (e.g., consumer buying power, volunteer time and skills, discretionary funds, blogging/writing ability,) to contribute to our work.
Prevention of human trafficking depends on creating viable economic options for the most vulnerable in society. Micro philanthropy and occupational training make this possible! We believe that everyday people can be part of the solution to human trafficking.
Comments
Im willing to help you guys!
hello to all of you! You are doing a great thing and I would be more than happy to help you in any of your needs. i am a student in college for IT and Computer Networking. Just tell me what you guys need the most help with and I will try my hardest to get it done. These kinds of things need to be stopped and every single person willing to help will get at least a fraction of what needs to be done, done. Contact me or reply to this message to let me know if you need anyhting. Thanks again for what you are doing.
Not by sermons but by Example!!!
PHI is an organization that is doing what it believes in rather than only talking about it, and that in my opinion is what the most important thing in this field is. I have lived and worked in Asia for the last 10 years and when I say that it is a relief to have a team of dedicated individuals actually doing something I know what I’m talking about. Over here you see people fly in from every corner of the world riding on every social cause, believing that they have some theoretical solution to the problems, but most of the solutions lie in just getting up and doing something rather than only talking about what solutions could work – which is what I have seen PHI do over the years.
Not only are the members of PHI exceptionally dedicated but Executive Director Christina Arnold actually speaks from first hands experiences having lived in Thailand for many years, speaks Thai and truly understands the needs, difficulties and challenges that the people of that land face. She does not speak from text book theory but from the heart full of compassion for those women and children suffering in South East Asia. So much so that even though she had moved back to the US a few years ago, she has faithfully visited her projects in Thailand every year in order to maintain the grasp on the grass root needs of her project and the people that it reaches out to.
I wish PHI the very best in this endeavor and I hope that any of you reading this will also vote for their project as it takes every drop to make the ocean.
YES! an anti-trafficking org thats doing it right!
there are tons out there- but who is looking at prevention? this organization must be doing something right....
Thanks for the kudos!
It's great to get feedback like yours! Many in the movement are 100% focused on reactive strategies to combating human trafficking. It's a pleasure to find a likeminded person out there who "gets" the value of proactive preventative work in this area! Thanks very much for your kind words!
Are you familiar with the TEN project?
Yes, I am familiar with
Yes, I am familiar with them. Thanks for caring to point them out!