GLOBAL Care is urging the public to donate to its Christmas appeal to put an end to the exploitation of vulnerable women who have suffered trafficking, domestic violence and abuse, writes Holly Martin.
Human trafficking and modern slavery are an ugly reality for thousands of impoverished Sri Lankan women who make the impossible choice to leave their families to work as housemaids in the Middle East.
They hope to earn enough money to create a better life for their children, however thousands are abused, beaten and raped every year, with some women disappearing or returning home in a coffin.
The migrant housemaid industry is one of Sri Lanka’s biggest foreign income-earners, with as many as one in five families believed to have a mother or daughter working oversees. As many as 1million children are left motherless by the process ever year.
A former housemaid told the Coventry charity’s Sri Lankan partners Community Concern it was a Catch 22 situation – ‘bad to go and bad to stay’.
Global Care is raising funds to launch a new scheme working on prevention to stop the traumatisation of vulnerable women and their children.
Every donation to the Christmas appeal will go to the new anti-trafficking programme led by the Community Concern.
It has decades of experience working with vulnerable women – bringing together former housemaids and women thinking of going overseas. It will raise awareness of the risks of the migrant housemaid industry and – through skills training and peer-to-peer support – offer women a viable alternative.
Match-funding will double all donations until December 10 or until the charity raises £60,000, whichever comes first.
CEO John White said: “If people give now, their gift will go twice as far.
“Every penny helps us fight trafficking, family breakdown and the abuse of vulnerable women and children.”
Donations can be made at www.globalcare.org/Christmas-2021 or via phone on 030 030 21 030.
