I was on Rosie Radio with Rosie O'Donnell, and not only did I have a great time, but wow - Rosie's listeners really came through and supported Made By Survivors!  After the show we have our best sales ever, we had 12 new children sponsored for school, scores of party sign ups and a huge jump in our facebook and mailing lists.  So a big thanks to Rosie, her senior producer Deirdre and the entire crew.  If you missed the show - we put the interview to pictures and you can hear/watch it here:

Sarah Symons talks Human Trafficking on Rosie O'Donnell from john berger on Vimeo.

So I'll gladly take this opportunity as a chance to proudly promote a very special upcoming event.  Saturday, August 14th will be the 2nd annual Freedom Festival to benefit The Emancipation Network.  If you are anywhere in the area stop by Heritage Museums and Gardens, at 62 Grove Street in Sandwich, Massachusetts.  We have a full lineup of artists planned to start at 3:00 and end at 10:30.  Tickets are $25 and children under fourteen are free!  All proceeds will go to TEN in an effort to reach more survivors, more women and children at risk of trafficking, and assi

It's 5am as I write this blog, sitting in Smarita's living room. The crows are already starting their morning rounds and the sun is shining through the windows. Any other day I'd actually enjoy this moment. But I'm leaving in an hour, and don't have the emotional strength to appreciate the natural beauty.

This week Becky Bavinger, Co-Founder of Destiny/Reflections and TEN's representative in India is coming back to the United States after 3 years of living and working in India. Becky has done an amazing job of positively impacting the lives of hundreds of people that she has come in contact with over the years and her impact will be felt for a very long time to come. Words can not express how invaluable and successful Becky has been and we at TEN/Made By Survivors consider ourselves lucky to have had her partnership. This weekend, as Becky takes the next step in her journey at NYU this fall, we want to take some time to honor her and the work she has done.

 After a laptop crash, repair and ultimately a replacement, I'm back in action as a regular blogger for TEN. Please forgive my absence. And know for certain that the “India girls” (as my children call them), the cause, the inspiration were always on my mind, even when I couldn't get the words to you. It's good to be back.

In two weeks from today, I'll be leaving India for good. Well, at least for two years. Over the last few months the women at Destiny and at the shelter homes have made some forelorn comments, "Becky di, you're leaving and then you'll forget us." But I keep ignoring it and responding that I don't want to hear anything about me leaving until the day I actually leave. This past week has been especially hard though, because I'm going on a jewelry trip to Delhi and Jaipur tomorrow and needed to say goodbye just for a week.

The start of the Made By Survivors jewelry program at the Women’s Interlink Foundation’s Child Care Home (CCH), brought a small degree of anxiety for me with regards to teaching. I was a little concerned about the fragility of the slavery survivors and if they would like learning to metalsmith. After a week of being with the average 17 year old (there were a smattering of ages from 15 to 24 years old and all the girls ages are just a guess), I was very pleased with their interest, kindness and vibrancy.

There are so many ways that people can use their unique gifts and experiences to fight slavery!  I am continually inspired by the creativity and diverse approaches that volunteers are bringing to this cause. One of the latest and coolest efforts - Warrior Divas: The Emancipation Network Project -  is dedicated to helping survivors of human trafficking through martial arts.

Thanks for taking the step of coming to our website after reading about me in REDBOOK Magazine.  I am truly honored to have been chosen as a REDBOOK hero!  I am a REDBOOK reader too, because I love how the magazine focuses not just on how women look but on the beauty that is inside each one of us.   Our survivors also possess deep inner beauty and courage, far greater than the damage and evil that has been done to them.  They are the true heroes of our organization, and I thank you for caring enough to want to help them. 

The quickest way you can help is to buy a survivor-made product, and spread the word every time you wear it.  You can also make a donation to help support our many programs - the Destiny center in Calcutta, our new jewelry program, the Freedom School for former quarry slaves, jobs and education programs for survivors in Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Uganda and New York, clean water, aftercare and rescue.  Believe me, we stretch every dollar, re-use every box, and keep overhead costs in the US to an absolute minimum so that every donation can go where it is needed most - to help people get free from slavery and remain slavery-free through empowerment and education.

Often times we come across survivors who are taking training in shelter homes but want to come out and work. But because of legal issues, or psychological issues, they are not able to leave. So they stay in the home, and we always encourage them to work hard and learn the skill well so that they can get a well-paying job when they leave.