OH: Marilyn’s Steady Income Streams
Marilyn, a client of the One Hope Microfinance Program, is thriving with her third loan. Her food stand near a school feeds students and teachers daily.
In light of the rising incidence of human trafficking and cybersex crimes in the Philippines, our implementing team — Honor 1000 — continues to run Cybersex and Trafficking Awareness programs throughout the country. This time, we have extended our reach to the Visayas and did something remarkable. Our team in the Visayas region led in rolling out our 2024 calendars with important Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) information. They went to public schools we have already reached in the past years, this time focusing on involving the parents in protecting their children from exploitation.
During a Parent Teacher Association meeting, we passionately engaged with parents regarding a concerning trend: their inclination towards encouraging their teenagers to seek romantic partners from foreign countries.
These parents admitted that they allow their daughters to join Facebook groups specifically made for foreigners looking for Filipina girlfriends. They also thought that it was harmless to encourage their daughters to post their photos and videos online.
In an honest and enlightening dialogue, we discussed the potential dangers and how these seemingly harmless activities can lead to risks of OSAEC and human trafficking. We then emphasized the role they play as parents in guiding their teens through the digital landscape. This was such an eye-opening discussion for them, and they committed to protecting their children from people they meet online.
Now, our team is getting ready for the next step. In the coming weeks, our team in Visayas will be in police stations and barangay meetings as we continue to involve every sector of the community in protecting Filipino children. We want everyone in the community to work together to protect Filipino kids.
As our 2024 calendars keep spreading the message, we’re excited about the new things we can do to keep Filipino children safe from human trafficking and cybersex crimes. It’s like turning the pages of a calendar, and with each month, we’re making significant progress in reaching 30,000 women and students in fighting against OSAEC.
2024 will see Captivating fund education and awareness programs reaching 30,000 women and students in locations considered significantly at risk of cybersex crime and human trafficking.
Our Partners
Marilyn, a client of the One Hope Microfinance Program, is thriving with her third loan. Her food stand near a school feeds students and teachers daily.
Through our Manila Slum Program, Jei returned to school and graduated, while her mother, Jing, completed a cookery course and is now seeking stable work.
The school leaders at Payatas B fully support our mission to bring online safety education to their school, empowering students to recognize and report abuse.
As we expand our microfinance program, each client will now receive an OSAEC (Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children) activity booklet with their loan.
Last month, we invited Joanna and Vic to inspire our student beneficiaries with stories of perseverance, overcoming financial struggles, and pursuing their dreams.
One of the main tenets of stopping cybersex crime is through education. We ensure that all of our program beneficiaries in the Philippines undergo online awareness programs. During our second meeting and disbursement, 225 parents and guardians from Marytown received essential information on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC).