This month marks the first anniversary of
Bijlmer Bridge2Hope! It has been exciting to watch our participants grow and
change and to reflect how far we have come this past year. I have observed a
huge increase in the women’s confidence over the last year. Our participants are making better,
well-informed decisions for themselves and realizing their potential for the
future through the education they are receiving. For example, they continue to work hard on
becoming fluent in Dutch. Their
comprehension and verbal skills are increasing weekly and with their increased
confidence, they are able to put into practice what they are learning in the
classroom. One participant has been recently
been complimented by a native Dutch speaker on her language improvement, and
this makes her eager to learn all the more!
We were ecstatic that the Rotary Club of
the Netherlands recently adopted Bijlmer Bridge2Hope and funds from their
Christmas campaign will go towards getting the materials we need to support our
participants as they walk the road from victim to survivor. We will also be holding some exciting events
in the New Year to help support the project. Please check our website, Facebook
page or blog in the coming months for more information. As always, remember
that the first step to helping victims of human trafficking is an awareness of
the fact that human trafficking is a major global issue. It is not something that only occurs
somewhere far away from you, and it is not an issue can be ignored in the hopes
that it will eventually go away. Be
aware, be involved, be compassionate and be engaged. Bijlmer Bridge2Hope has seen a difference
made in the lives of our participants over the past year, and with your help we
look forward to seeing the positive changes that the next year brings.
