Living Magazine doTERRA Healing Hands Annual Report 2019 | Page 24

Free for Life | India In areas of extreme poverty, a false job offer or fraudulent marriage is all it takes to convince someone to travel away from his or her village and leave behind networks of support. With low rates of female literacy and employment, opportunities are rare, and early marriages remain common. These factors set the stage of vulnerability, and the open border between India and Nepal increases the trafficking of women and girls between the two countries. Over 15,000 women and girls are trafficked across this border and into India’s sex trade each year. Free for Life and their border-monitoring station serve as the front line in rescuing and restoring these women. Free for Life works to identify and intervene on behalf of victims of trafficking—as well as those who are at risk—through educational materials and staff members who are trained to identify potential trafficking situations. Wellness Advocate Gabrielle Thompson saw the need and reached out to the dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation ® , which matched the money she raised together with Free for Life in order to support the interception and rescue of human trafficking victims in India. Elora Road Christian Fellowship | Canada Although many organizations work diligently to rescue victims of human trafficking, there are limited options for immediate shelter. The Elora House, under the umbrella of the Elora Road Christian Fellowship, provides short-term housing and support to survivors of sexual violence in Ontario, Canada. Spearheading the creation of this haven, Wellness Advocate Luisa Krause has made her hopes and plans a reality. After securing funds, Luisa collaborated with the dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation ® to turn a space into a home, including furniture, kitchen items, equipment, and more. “We were able to create a space that doesn’t feel patched together with worn-out items, but rather a space that speaks to the value of each survivor who walks through our doors.”—Lauren McLaren, program director 24 dōTERRA HEALING HANDS FOUNDATION I ANNUAL REPORT 2019 doterrahealinghands.org 25