Chanmoni* didn’t really know what was happening. She had moved with her mom to a rice farming town near the border of Thailand. All she knew was that her mom was in desperate need of money to pay for food and a home. That’s when a couple from Thailand talked to her mom and said her daughter could cross the border and earn lots of money as a nanny. Presented as a golden opportunity to support the family, Chanmoni dutifully obeyed her mom and went with the couple. She was sold into trafficking the next morning.    

Since 1 in 5 Cambodians fight to survive on less than $2 per day, they are vulnerable to exploitation through human trafficking, or modern-day slavery. About 40.3 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. This number includes the 24.9 million trapped in various types of forced labor and 15.4 million in forced marriages. Unfortunately, 71 percent of victims are women and girls. One in four victims are children under 18 years old.

Chamoni’s story has an incredible ending, though. She was rescued by Hope for Justice and graduated from its Shine Career School that your donations help us fully fund. Chanmoni is now studying at a university. This is her story.

* Name changed to protect identity.

July 27, 2018