Hello friends and family,
I have signed up for a journey that I am not sure I can complete without your support. From August 16-20th, I will hike 9 mountains in 3 days and need to raise $8848 prior.
That's right, 9 mountains in 3 days! Why would someone hike the equivalent of Mount Everest? It seems like a crazy idea, right? It is, but what is crazier is over 40 million people are forced into modern slavery (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2021). Modern slavery is forced labour and/or marriage in which a person cannot refuse or leave a situation of exploitation because of threats, violence, deception, abuse of power or other forms of coercion (ILO, 2021). Human trafficking is a method of modern slavery in which individuals or criminal organizations recruit, transport, transfer, receive, hold, conceal or harbour a person through control, direction or influence over a person's movements to exploit or facilitate the exploitation of that person (Shana Conroy, 2022). Many of us think human trafficking and modern slavery usually occur in countries such as South East Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. Still, we forget it happens in Europe and North America, including Canada.
There was an overall 11% reduction in human trafficking globally comparing 2019 to 2020, but there was increased trafficking of men (26%) and women (14%) in North Ameri In Canada, 3,541 incidents of human trafficking were reported to police services between 2011-2021 (Shana Conroy, 2022; Public Safety Canada, 2023 . 96% of the victims were women and girls, which follows the trend that most victims trafficked worldwide are women and girls (Shana Conroy, 2022; ILO, 2021; International Justice Mission, 2023; Public Safety Canada, 2023 . Worldwide 11.8 million women and girls are forced into modern slavery daily (ILO, 2021).
I believe the definition and stats of modern slavery and human trafficking speak fo themselves. These victimized men, women, and children experience unspeakable brutality, pain, and de manization. Many of these people do not have a choice and are forced into horrible situations of violence and sexual exploi tion. Modern slavery and trafficking have many forms and can occur anywhere from a street, house, or factory to the in rnet. Hence I am choosing to hike and raise funds to support the work of the International Justice Mission (https://www.ijm.ca/our-work) and local Next Step Ministries (https://nextstepministries.ca/) to end modern slavery and provide care for those who have been exploited.
Please join me in advocating for the end of modern slavery and human trafficking, and donate to these fantastic organization My goal is to raise $8848, the height of Mou t Everest. Ending modern slavery and human trafficking is a mountainous feat.
All the money donated goes to these two organizations. Donations are tax deducitable.
Thank you,
Alyssa Alger
References:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/85-005-x/2022001/article/00001-eng.pdf?st=CYXhJeac
https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/hmn-trffckng/abt-hmn-trffckng-en.aspx#a3
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_854733.pdf
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/2022/GLOTiP_2022_web.pdf
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After 6 men sat together in the Bow River basin and discussed the GIANT of
an issue of SEX TRAFFICKING, it was easy to use Mt. EVEREST as a metaphor.
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 | - - "Standing at the base of Everest it seems insurmountable, too big to conquer, but the reality is, it isn't. The first step is to decide to pack a bag and move towards it." - Rem (Founder) |
Why 8848? Because, Mt. Everest is 8848m tall. The idea was born to summit Everest not overseas but, here in the Alberta Rocky Mountains. These men were inspired to create The Freedom 8848 Team Everest Challenge as a justice initiative of 4th Musketeer Canada following a 72 hour wilderness journey called Extreme Character Challenge -XCC.
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The Freedom 8848 Team Everest Challenge was created to raise funds, awareness and most of all empathy for those who have quieted voices. To support and find ways to protect those who are enslaved, on a recovery journey, the frontline organizations, our children, and anyone else who is directly or indirectly involved.
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- - - - - -"I just couldn't sit on my couch and think there was something I could be doing to help someone who was being trafficked"- Freedom 8848 member |
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"This mission needs your help!"
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As one of the Freedom8848 supporters put it:
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" I hope... that they don’t only climb the equivalent of Everest:
they move the equivalent of Everest."
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The funds raised are donated to carefully selected organizations.
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Freedom 8848, their partners, and all it's participants sincerely ask for your support as we prepare for the Freedom Everest Challenge - August 16-20, 2023.
We believe with your help we can become the
"...GROUNDSWELL of people standing together moving mountains for justice."
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Can you IMAGINE?? We can!!
