Wow- this is a very interesting idea. It seems like a very targeted way to both improve the overall economy of the area- of major push factor in trafficking- as well as project which will provide direct benefits to girls in your one year program. I have a few questions:
1. Could you expand a bit on the components of the one year program?
2. Will girl survivors actually be the ones employed at the hotel?
3. Will the mission of the hotel be made public and will that have any implications for the safety of girls currently living at the safe house or working in the hotel?
I'm looking forward to hearing more!
Laura cardinal
Public Health and Human Trafficking Specialist
Thank you for your comments.... I will try to answer what I can.
The 1 year program is a residential center where approximately 15 girls stay at any given time. They are given counseling, job training, schooling, legal assistance, taken to church, encouraged to testify against their traffickers if possible. When they 'graduate' then they are placed in a home for a short period of time as a sort of "halfway house" type of setting before being on their own and back into society.
No, the survivors will not be working at the hotel... the idea is to provide job for at-risks girls and lessen the chance of them being trafficked.
Yes the hotel mission will be public, however we do not disclose even the city that the safe house is in due to the fact that many of these victims are in witness protection. Many of the traffickers are part of the Romanian Mafia and can be very dangerous people.
I hope that answers some of your questions, and again thank you for your encouragement. Please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.
This is indeed a wonderful idea of combining capacity building and social benefits to the community.
It seems like it would help if some of the girls that come out of orphanages when they are teenagers and don't have a place to go could find work at your hotel before they have a chance of getting trafficked. Is this something that you would consider doing once your business is up and running?
I was also wondering if you needed volunteer work and what was the response you received in the community? Were there people willing to help without getting anything in exchange?
I wish you good luck in all your endeavors. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your response! Yes the idea is to hire 'at-risk' girls to prevent the problem of human trafficking and to lessen unemployment in the region by using workers, farmers, construction workers, and furniture makers from the region. Thank you for your comments! Yes we have some offers for volunteer help, especially to finish the project (design, paint, decorate, etc.). I believe we will have a team from the United States come over at the appropriate time.
I am only 16 but I have a goal in life. My goal has been for 2 years now to work with sexually abused, traumatized and exploited girls/teenagers to raise their self-esteem, self-worth and get them on the right track to freedom and independence. My first goal was to do this in Cambodia, but not so long ago, I read of an article about you and my vision changed. Well, the basics are the same but I know where I want to work. And that is with you at Reaching Out. The first thing I'm going to do is learn Romanian. And I was wondering a couple of things:
1) If I take post highschool education, would I need only to major in Psychology? And if so would a Bachelor's Degree be enough or should I do Masters?
2) Would you need or accept any non-romanian workers (like me) to work for you?
I know that helping these girls would fufill my life. Anyway I can help I need to know.
You must be very busy being the important woman that you are but if you have any time at all to contact me about anything, I would feel so grateful.
Your admirer, Jo
Thanks for your comments, I will pass them on to Iana Matei. And I am very proud of you for your heart to get involved, but more importantly for your willingness to learn whatever it takes to equip yourself for this work.
A few answers - yes to work in Romania you would need to learn Romanian to be of help. Otherwise they need to have an interpreter with you at all times. I am SO glad that you realized this at the beginning. Many people think they can help without it.
Yes a degree in psychology would be perfect to work with victims. And a bachelors would be fine, especially if you specialize in counseling trafficking victims.
Yes non-Romanian workers would be accepted if they have the background.
Please read more about Iana Matei at our website - www.freeforlifeministries.com This way you can keep in touch with what is going on in Romania and other countries. Also, Iana Matei will be coming to the U.S. sometime this fall or winter. She will be staying in Nashville. What part of the country are you in? She may be doing a little speaking while she is here.
Anyway please keep in touch, and God Bless you for wanting to get involved. If you send me your email I will put you on our mailing list to get newsletters, etc. Send it to: info@freeforlifeministries.com
Dr. Daniel Bercu
Director Of Operations
Free For Life Ministries, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee www.freeforlifeministries.com
Comments
Dear Ianan Matei;
Wow- this is a very interesting idea. It seems like a very targeted way to both improve the overall economy of the area- of major push factor in trafficking- as well as project which will provide direct benefits to girls in your one year program. I have a few questions:
1. Could you expand a bit on the components of the one year program?
2. Will girl survivors actually be the ones employed at the hotel?
3. Will the mission of the hotel be made public and will that have any implications for the safety of girls currently living at the safe house or working in the hotel?
I'm looking forward to hearing more!
Laura cardinal
Public Health and Human Trafficking Specialist
Hello Laura,
Thank you for your comments.... I will try to answer what I can.
The 1 year program is a residential center where approximately 15 girls stay at any given time. They are given counseling, job training, schooling, legal assistance, taken to church, encouraged to testify against their traffickers if possible. When they 'graduate' then they are placed in a home for a short period of time as a sort of "halfway house" type of setting before being on their own and back into society.
No, the survivors will not be working at the hotel... the idea is to provide job for at-risks girls and lessen the chance of them being trafficked.
Yes the hotel mission will be public, however we do not disclose even the city that the safe house is in due to the fact that many of these victims are in witness protection. Many of the traffickers are part of the Romanian Mafia and can be very dangerous people.
I hope that answers some of your questions, and again thank you for your encouragement. Please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.
Hello Iana,
This is indeed a wonderful idea of combining capacity building and social benefits to the community.
It seems like it would help if some of the girls that come out of orphanages when they are teenagers and don't have a place to go could find work at your hotel before they have a chance of getting trafficked. Is this something that you would consider doing once your business is up and running?
I was also wondering if you needed volunteer work and what was the response you received in the community? Were there people willing to help without getting anything in exchange?
I wish you good luck in all your endeavors. Keep up the good work!
Thank you,
Liv
Hi Liv,
Thanks for your response! Yes the idea is to hire 'at-risk' girls to prevent the problem of human trafficking and to lessen unemployment in the region by using workers, farmers, construction workers, and furniture makers from the region. Thank you for your comments! Yes we have some offers for volunteer help, especially to finish the project (design, paint, decorate, etc.). I believe we will have a team from the United States come over at the appropriate time.
God Bless!
To my idol Iana Matei,
I am only 16 but I have a goal in life. My goal has been for 2 years now to work with sexually abused, traumatized and exploited girls/teenagers to raise their self-esteem, self-worth and get them on the right track to freedom and independence. My first goal was to do this in Cambodia, but not so long ago, I read of an article about you and my vision changed. Well, the basics are the same but I know where I want to work. And that is with you at Reaching Out. The first thing I'm going to do is learn Romanian. And I was wondering a couple of things:
1) If I take post highschool education, would I need only to major in Psychology? And if so would a Bachelor's Degree be enough or should I do Masters?
2) Would you need or accept any non-romanian workers (like me) to work for you?
I know that helping these girls would fufill my life. Anyway I can help I need to know.
You must be very busy being the important woman that you are but if you have any time at all to contact me about anything, I would feel so grateful.
Your admirer, Jo
Hi Jo-Hannah,
Thanks for your comments, I will pass them on to Iana Matei. And I am very proud of you for your heart to get involved, but more importantly for your willingness to learn whatever it takes to equip yourself for this work.
A few answers - yes to work in Romania you would need to learn Romanian to be of help. Otherwise they need to have an interpreter with you at all times. I am SO glad that you realized this at the beginning. Many people think they can help without it.
Yes a degree in psychology would be perfect to work with victims. And a bachelors would be fine, especially if you specialize in counseling trafficking victims.
Yes non-Romanian workers would be accepted if they have the background.
Please read more about Iana Matei at our website - www.freeforlifeministries.com This way you can keep in touch with what is going on in Romania and other countries. Also, Iana Matei will be coming to the U.S. sometime this fall or winter. She will be staying in Nashville. What part of the country are you in? She may be doing a little speaking while she is here.
Anyway please keep in touch, and God Bless you for wanting to get involved. If you send me your email I will put you on our mailing list to get newsletters, etc. Send it to: info@freeforlifeministries.com
Dr. Daniel Bercu
Director Of Operations
Free For Life Ministries, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee
www.freeforlifeministries.com
P.S. you can sign up for our cause on facebook!
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