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by Mary Rankin

Hello Movement121 supporters and followers!  I’m a fellow in the M121 Social Leadership Academy, and I’m excited to share our top 15 organizations that are leading the fight to end human trafficking and modern day slavery.

Like many of you, I grew up with the assumption that slavery in America was abolished after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the adoption of the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution.  My assumption and my world were flipped upside down after watching a Dateline NBC Special documenting the International Justice Mission’s work to combat sex trafficking in Cambodia.  Like most of us, my initial reaction was “surely that doesn’t happen in America;” but unfortunately, a little research revealed that there is more slavery today than at any other point in history.  The slavery that we learned about in history books exists around the world and in our backyards—men, women, and children are bought, sold, abused, and murdered in an underground world that is darker than you or I can imagine.  Since earning my law degree in 2007, I’ve volunteered with several incredible organizations that are leading the fight to end slavery in our lifetime.  I recently started a blog to educate and inspire others to take action to end injustice in their community and around the world.   We hope that you’ll be inspired to support one or more of our favorite organizations!

1. Abolition International – Founded by singer Natalie Grant, Abolition International is dedicated to eradicating domestic and international sex trafficking through accreditation, advocacy, education, and restoration.  We’re inspired by Abolition International’s work to establish standards of care for restoration homes and aftercare facilities.  The standards will not only ensure that the residents of these facilities receive necessary treatment and care, but the standards will also facilitate the implementation of future restoration homes and aftercare facilities because future these facilities won’t have to spend their time, money, and resources to develop similar standards.  We’re proud of the work they’re doing to educate and advocate against human trafficking, and we’re happy to support their efforts to restore rescued survivors!
2. Agape International Missions’ goal is to end child sex trafficking in Cambodia and the U.S, restore victims, and transform communities.  To achieve this mission, AIM has established multiple Rahab’s House community centers, a Lord’s Gym reaching pimps and traffickers, Agape Training Center (ATC) giving girls a career in textiles, and a network of Cambodian Churches who are now educated about the issue of child sex trafficking.  We love that AIM believes that every rescued girl deserves the best—the best healthcare, education, and opportunities, and even a Princess Ceremony.
3. Child Rescue Association of North America’s mission is to eliminate child trafficking in the U.S. and Canada through education and intervention.  Through funds raised, Child Rescue purchases equipment and funds training for local law enforcement and government agencies to “even the playing” field with the transnational criminal enterprises that these organizations fight every day.  Follow this link to support Child Rescue today!
4. CNN Freedom Project is CNN’s stake in the ground, saying they want to join the flight against slavery by shining a spotlight on its horrors and telling the human stories of its victims.  The Freedom Project has shined a spotlight on the horrors of modern-day slavery, amplified the voices of the victims, highlighted the success stories, and helped unravel the complicated tangle of criminal enterprises trading in human life.  The Freedom Project’s reports, blogs, and videos have inspired us and others around the world to protect and rescue men, women, boys and girls around the world who have been raped, abused, over-worked, and discarded as if they have no value.
5. ECPAT-USA is a network of organizations and individuals working together to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children around the world. It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental right to be free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation.  We love when young people join together to fight injustice, so we’re thankful for the ECPAT Youth Committee’s efforts to educate and mentor young activists to get involved in the fight to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children.  Last year, students from New York City high schools designed and displayed these posters around the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  Keep up the good work!
6. End Slavery Now is developing a comprehensive, internet-based platform to grow the anti-slavery movement.  ESN’s online tools allow members of the anti-slavery movement to share information and resources and coordinate their efforts to combat slavery.  Regardless of your education, job, finances, time constraints, or any other excuse, we all can find at least one way to Get Involved in the fight to end slavery.  They’ve listed over 100 ways to Get Involved, so what are you waiting for?
7. Free2Work is a project created by Not For Sale and supported by the International Labor Rights Forum.  Free2Work is the first and only app available (for Android or iPhone) that allows consumers to scan the barcode of an item and instantly gain access to information on the brand’s efforts to prevent child and forced labor.  The Free2Work app has empowered us and others around the world to choose products that are free of forced and child labor.
8. Free The Slaves recognized that slavery is rampant where poor people lack economic opportunities, education, healthcare and an honest government, so FTS developed a holistic approach to ending slavery which includes: working with grassroots organizations where slavery flourishes, recording and sharing victim stories to educate local leaders, partnering with businesses and educating consumers about slavery in their purchases, working with local governments to develop effective anti-slavery laws, and researching effective strategies to end slavery forever.  The FTS Films have given us a glimpse into the tortuous existence of a modern slave, and have inspired us to do all we can to end this grave injustice.
9. GEMS Girls - Girls Education and Mentoring Service (G.E.M.S.) empowers young women who have been victims of commercial sexual exploitation to aspire to their full potential by providing them with empathetic and consistent support and viable opportunities for positive change.  GEMS was founded in 1998 by Rachel Lloyd, a young woman who had been commercially sexually exploited as a teenager. Ms. Lloyd came to the U.S in 1997 as a missionary to work with adult women exiting the commercial sex industry. While working with adult women in correctional facilities and on the streets, Ms. Lloyd observed the overwhelming need for services for young women at risk for sexual exploitation who were being ignored by traditional social service agencies.  From a one-woman kitchen table project, GEMS has grown to a nationally recognized and acclaimed organization and now is one of the largest providers of services to commercially sexually exploited and domestically trafficked youth in the US.  We’re inspired by Ms. Lloyd’s passion and zeal to serve our most vulnerable and victimized teens.
10. Hookers for Jesus is a faith-based organization that addresses the realities of human sex trafficking, sexual violence, and exploitation linked to pornography and the sex industry.  Their mission is to help children, teens, and women escape and recover from the harmful effects of human sex trafficking and prostitution.  The organization was founded in 2005 by Annie Lobért, a former human sex trafficked teen and prostitute/call girl/stripper.   Annie’s story of addiction, abuse, pornography, and ultimate recovery and redemption is truly inspiring, and we’re thankful for her heart to rescue and restore those currently trapped in the commercial sex industry.
11. International Justice Mission – These superhero investigators, special ops, and legal workers rescue victims out of trafficking, put the perpetrators behind bars, and place fear in the hearts of potential perpetrators.  For the past 15 years, IJM has led the charge to protect poor children and families around the world, and through support from people like you, IJM has thousands of reasons to celebrate – from girls rescued from brothels, to families freed from slavery; from traffickers and rapists held accountable to justice systems changing to protect the poor.  Over the next 15 years, IJM is embracing a bold vision to protect millions.  IJM opened my eyes and burdened my heart with the mission to end modern day slavery.  I hope you’ll join us in supporting IJM’s mission, vision, and passion to end slavery in our lifetime.
12. Not For Sale creates tools that engage business, government, and grassroots in order to incubate and grow social enterprises to benefit enslaved and vulnerable communities.  Through its Community Abolitionist Network, Not For Sale is bringing together volunteers and abolitionist leaders who work with local communities to raise awareness and change community actions and attitudes.  You can support Not For Sale’s efforts to end slavery by Taking Action in your community.  Not For Sale is at the fore-front of the movement to create replicable, and sustainable solutionsto fight modern-day slavery around the world, and we hope you’ll take a few moments to learn more about their work.
13. Polaris Project is committed to combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery, and to strengthening the anti-trafficking movement through a comprehensive approach.  Polaris Project operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline, provides comprehensive client services, offers training and technical assistance to U.S. stakeholders, creates social change through public outreach and strategic campaigns, and works to advance state and federal policy related to the crime of human trafficking.  Polaris Project is an innovative leader in the fight to end human trafficking and modern day slavery, and we encourage you to follow their work.
14. Shared Hope International – Founded by U.S. Congresswoman, Linda Smith, SHI exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. SHI is a leader in the worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery through education and public awareness.  Through their work, Shared Hope has seen that there can be no rescue without restoration.  If a girl is rescued or manages to escape her pimp, but there is no shelter to keep her safe, the young girl will most certainly end up in a worse condition than before her rescue.  We applaud Shared Hope’s efforts to partner with and support both national and international survivor shelters and residential homes.
15. The A21 Campaign is comprised of individuals, organizations, government officials, and people like you who are committed to abolishing injustice in the 21st century. A21’s goal is to prevent trafficking, protect and support those who have been trafficked, prosecute traffickers and strengthen the local response to trafficking, and partner with law enforcement, service providers, and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking.  We love that A21 is educating children about the reality of human trafficking and equipping them strategies to avoid ever becoming a victim.

What organizations do you know of that are doing great work in this area?

1. SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN 4 WORDS: Be you.  Become we. Be truly yourself as passionately as possible. We need that.  But remember, that you can’t do it yourself. No one can. You have to build a team.
2. SCALE YOUR BUSINESS using prototypes.  Don’t build the big, expensive infrastructure until you close the big deal.
3. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IS ENTERPRISE.  There’s no more social.  People care about cause, so brands and businesses need to be socially relevant and responsible.  These will be the new table stakes just to be in business.  Plus, social issues are essentially market needs. Businesses know best how to meet a need.
4. FUNDRAISING IS TRICKY for social enterprises.  It’s not high-profit.  And there’s no tax-exemptions.  Be careful with the 3 F’s – friends, families, and fools.
5. DO IT WRONG QUICKLY.  (heard from Paull Young from Charity:Water) Otherwise known as fail fast. But then, learn a ton.  I particularly believe this in social media – put it up, see what sticks, optimize along the way based on performance data.
6. EXPERIMENT.  Entrepreneurship is all about strategic, thoughtful experiments that gets you customer information that directs your business. Get those goggles and gloves on – it can get a little messy – it’s supposed to be.
7. OBSESS ABOUT YOUR VISION STATEMENT.  It always starts with vision – make it emotional, aspirational, and tweetable.  With a compelling vision, all kinds of people will want to help you – supporters, funders, social media advocates, celebs.
8. BUILD YOUR TEAM BASED ON STRENGTHS.  Coupled with your awesome vision, your team will be so motivated – doing what they love doing for a cause they love.  Remember that strengths isn’t the same thing as “things you’re good at.” I recommend StrengthsFinders for everyone.
9. READ GOOD IDEA, NOW WHAT?  Charles takes a chaotic and mysterious thing and turns it into digestable, I-can-do-this-today nuggets
10. NON-PROFIT OR FOR-PROFIT IS NOT THE QUESTION.  Maybe your sixth question, but definitely not the first. Whatever you choose, determine how you’ll be sustainable, or how you’ll reach your end goal.
11. MOONLIGHT YOUR DREAMS.  Heard from (and lived out by) Tyler Merrick of Project 7. There’s a time to go all-in and all-out. But there’s also a time to work on your dreams after your full-time job.  Figure out if it works. Get stuff down on paper. Talk to close, honest friends about it. Meet others in the industry.
12. GET YOUR ONE-PAGER DONE.  In fact, you should have various versions of the your business’s overview (i.e. your story) ready at any time. A one-liner. A one-paragrapher. And yes, a one-pager. This will help you figure out what’s important in your story.
13. LEARN THE BI-TRIANGLE. This is my favorite framework for entrepreneurship. The product is possibly the least important aspect of your business.
14. DEFINE THE PROBLEM.  Especially for social enterprises, you have to identify and scope the actual problem you’re trying to solve.  Do it with a combination of story and facts/stats.
15. MASTER THE ART OF STORYTELLING – Find your internal Martin Scorsese – your business is telling a story.  What is it?  The will be the key to all your marketing and messaging.
16. KNOW YOURSELF. This may be the hardest part of it – you have to be brutally honest with yourself to know what your passions really are (and even whether those passions are fueled by healthy things).  It takes courage to see the truth, but the truth is liberating.  It focuses you, it helps you say “no” to good things that aren’t the best thing.  It directs you to where you need to go next.
17. PARTNER AND COLLABORATE TO SCALE. Most successful enterprises do a few things well and partner with complementary organizations to accentuate each party’s strengths.  It gets complicated, yes! But huge upside, oh yes.
18. MAKE VIRTUAL TEAMS LEADERSHIP A CORE SKILL – Make it a priority to learn how to lead audio and video conference calls. Teams are increasingly becoming dispersed, and there is a unique set of “tricks of the trade” to motivate through voice and video.
19. DON”T DUMB IT DOWN TOO MUCH.  Respect your audience. They are increasingly informed.  They know real impact in the world is complicated.  Be honest about the ups and downs. A Child’s Right even enables donors to have the same data the CEO does – as it’s coming in.  Technology is pushing the transparency envelop.e
20. MEASURE THE RIGHT THING.  It’s not about what you put into the process or what came out of the process.  It’s about real outcomes.
21. THERE’S TOO MANY NON-PROFITS RIGHT NOW.  Why is it that there are so many non-profits that are “single” – and not “married”/adjoined to others? Don’t care who gets the credit, care that the problem is solved.
22. BIG BAD BUSINESS may very well drive the next wave of innovation that no one is talking about.  For example, big pharma realizes their business is the future of healthcare – maybe it’s not just vaccines and drugs.  And it’s not about patients, it’s about people.

What hacks & perspectives do you have for social enterpreneurs?

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BEYOND LEADERSHIP
by Jenny Blakey, M121 Fellow

Three months ago I entered into the Social Leadership Academy expecting to learn the inner workings of a social business, how I can contribute to the startup of a new company, and how I can channel my passion for helping people into real results through Movement 121.

Mentally I was prepared to check the boxes needed to prove my “exceptional” worth to this company:

1. Learn about the company

2. Learn about my position

3. Go “Over and Above” in my assignments

4. Excel as a fellow

These are checkboxes I’ve come to memorize from previous internships and multiple jobs. Boxes that, to date, have brought a reasonable amount of success. Boxes I was more than ready to check.

That was until week one, when I was challenged not with what kind of leader I would become in Movement 121, but what kind of leader I already am – more importantly, what kind of leader I can become.

In the span of three months I’ve learned the most invaluable lessons I will ever learn about leadership, about my future: I’ve come to understand me. I know my strengths, my talents, and what separates the two. I’ve come to understand that a focus on my weakness will never propel me as far as a focus on my strengths; as strengths shine light on who we truly are.

This fellowship has begun to lay a foundation. A foundation for which I’m learning how to move into my passion, not my passion for excelling at one company, but my core passions; the passions that truly matter wherever life takes me. I am learning to know myself enough to know how to impact people.

John Maxwell said that effectiveness as a leader is directly related to how one develops themselves. I’ve spent three months developing me and I cannot wait to spend the next three months developing beyond leadership.

Where do you begin? There’s too much information out there – good, plain-wrong, inspired, overly-dramatic, and everything in between. How do you make sense of it all? Here is M121′s “best of the best” list of resources, data, and short “walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes” anecdotes to help you get informed about the realities going on in our world today.

Honestly, reality is pretty complicated and intense, but you can take it. Dive in.  These truths wreck us. But more so, they compel us to action.

UNFATHOMABLE POVERTY

More than 1 billion people live (and die) on $1.25 a day. That’s one in seven people. For a moment, imagine what it’d be like to live like that. You’re so hungry that your mind slowly becomes mush. You have no energy to move. If you get sick, you can’t get well. If you get beat, there’s nothing to do about it. If someone kidnaps your child, you have no way of getting her back. Your poverty keeps you hungry, and your hunger keeps you from being able to work or function, which keeps you trapped in poverty. A vicious cycle. Nowhere to escape the thick stench from open sewers, no legal protection, no health care, no nothing – you don’t even notice any of that because you know nothing else. Add to that: lots of predators are gauging your “usefulness” to them and inventing new ways to trick you into “working” for them in some way. Brutal Exploitation. Brain-washing. Utter Despair. Numbness to everything in life except surviving.

What Causes Poverty? The short answer is that a lot of things are baked into the “system” that rig the poor to stay poor. Want more stats? Check out World Bank: Poverty Statistics and Context. Poverty has terrible and complicated consequences – some of them are below.

TRAFFICKING AND MODERN DAY SLAVERY

Poverty makes us frightfully vulnerable to evil people, who are always on the prowl, looking for fresh meat to put into their favorite meat grinder.

Poverty cripples the body, the mind, and the human spirit, impairing us from good judgment, good work, and just being human. It makes us frightfully vulnerable to evil people, who are always on the prowl, looking for fresh meat to put into their favorite meat grinder. Slaves are being used like disposable napkins – once we can’t be used for their purpose, we are simply thrown away. 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. In some areas, $50 is all it cost to purchase a slave. There are approximately 27 million slaves in the world today – more than at any time in history. To learn more about trafficking and the best approaches to stop it, read this landmark Foreign Affairs Article by IJM founder Gary Haugen.

Notable Organizations
International Justice Mission (IJM) – These superhero investigators, special ops, and legal workers rescue victims out of trafficking and also put the perpetrators behind bars – also putting fear in the hearts of potential perpetrators.

Not for Sale is a social movement that creates tools that engage organizations & individuals to launch slavery-busting social enterprises.

CNN Freedom Project is CNN’s stake in the ground, saying they want to join the flight against slavery by shining a spotlight on its horrors and telling the human stories of its victims.

CLEAN WATER CRISIS

I once heard a story of a American tourist who was visiting a native home in Africa. He went into their makeshift bathroom, saw that their bathtub was filled with dirty/gross water. He thought, “Oh, someone must’ve forgotten to pull the plug after a bath”, unplugged the plug, and let the water out. He told the African the “favor” he did for them, and African started crying – that water was their water supply for the rest of the week.

Here’s a great video on what it’s like to be a family living without clean water, and an interesting solution to the problem.

Almost 1 billion people lack access to clean water (about 1 in 7 people on the earth). A child dies every 20 seconds from a water-borne illness. We love what Charity: Water is doing to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

THE POOR IN INDIA

Lots of people ask us, “why focus on India? Aren’t there doing pretty well for themselves?” Yes and No. The rich are doing awesome, the ultra-poor are still trapped in unfathomable poverty. Even though lots of metrics for the country’s wealth is rising, it’s all concentrated on upper-upper class. More than 1/3 of the population -that’s 400-500 million people still live on $1.25 a day. That has led many people to call it the “Great Indian Divide” – it almost makes it worse. The poor are still trapped in poverty, but now they have rich neighbors. Click on the image for a great infographic.

(Note: I’m going to keep updating this page – so let me know if you have ideas, organizations, and facts to add)

Movement121 Store – Coming Soon in a few weeks!  First and foremost, we are putting the finishing touches on our online store.  We got our product samples a few weeks ago and we were so impressed and touched by the high-quality work being done by our crafters in New Dehli.  Here’s a team picture of them packing up the first shipment.  You’ll be hearing more about each of these amazing people in the weeks to come.  Each person has their own amazing story to tell of the journey they’re on, and we’re humbled to be part of this new chapter along with them.

Our partner leader, Abhishek Gier of CrossStitch/Catalyst, also sent us this picture this morning – it’s where some of our crafter live currently – a heart-wrenching and thought-provoking reminder of what is at stake with the launch of CAUSEGEAR and CAUSEWEAR later this month.  Click on the image below to get a closer look, if you can take it.

We want YOU! to join the movement – many of you have asked us, “how can we help?” and “Can I give you guys a donation?”  Up until now, it’s really just been about signing up for our newsletter or following us on Facebook.  We’re putting the finishing touches on 2 new ways you’ll be able to be an integral part of Movement121 – ACTION TEAMS and M SHARES.  Time to put your strengths, passions, and expertise to use for a great cause.  More on these soon!

Movement121 Fellowship – The fellowship program has been an absolute blast for us and many of the fellows.  We’ve been having weekly video conference calls with our home base at Trinity University (where 9 of our 50 fellows go to school).  The fellows were all asked to take the StrengthsFinder assessment to identify their true strengths (which can be different than what you’re “good at”).  Based on those strengths, the fellows were assembled onto a few different teams, each of which is now charged to go through the process of starting a social enterprise.  Some great ideas and passions have come through at addressing some pesky world problems in creative and scalable ways.  It will be neat to see what turns out from all this. I personally am inspired by our amazing Fellows – so much passion, strength, and thoughtfulness.

Speaking Tour – We’ve truly been blessed to have our paths cross with a lot of amazing people in the last few months.  Sometimes, it just starts with a casual conversation about what we’re up to.  Other times, it starts with a tweet or a blog post that gets shared.  One thing leads to another, and we’re excited to be speaking at these 3 events coming up:

Trinity Leadership Conference – Mark Chassman, Dean of the M121 Social Leadership Academy is the keynote, with Brad Jeffery and I speaking at a break-out session. Held in Deerfield, Illinois, this one is geared at one of the most passionate groups we’ve seen time and again – high school students.

Ideation Conference – Brad and I will be interviewed at this conference geared at social entrepreneurs and difference-makers.  I look at the line-up of other speakers, and we’re blown away at the cool stuff people are doing to sustainably change the world.  If you’re in Chicago and have any interest in social entrepreneurship or impact, come join us!

TEDxPlazaCibeles - Yours truly is headed to Madrid in June to speak at this awesome TEDx event, where the theme is “common people, outstanding ideas.”

As always, thanks for following us – the journey is about the get really interesting!

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(Nkechi Charles wrote the following blog post  within M121 Social Leadership Academy community site)

Hi Everyone!

I’m taking an advantatge of this opportunity to try to build all of my five strengths: intellection, input, restorative, connectedness and developer :)

About a year ago, my husband introduced me to journalist Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times via an article he wrote about being a proponent of sweatshops. (Nicholas Kristof’s New Yorker article “Where Sweatshops Are a Dream” )  My instant reaction before reading the article was: how can someone be pro-sweatshops?! Has he not heard all the anti-sweatshop campaigns during the last few years? Then I read the article and found myself challenged to step out of my own world paradigm and see from another lens. When helping hurts:John Stossel ABC News: Are Sweatshops factories good?  http://youtu.be/JqtS3sFVy7s

There it goes again…the “upside down” effect, I like to call it.  That moment when you realize that what you “see” and what you “know” is not the full picture. In fact, it is written that we only know in part.  When we begin to see what we did not know before, everything seems to be upside down or rather the opposite of what we once knew to be true. Though it can be disconcerting and down right uncomfortable (LOL!), I’ve come to relish the “upside down” effects as I consider poverty issues.  At the end of the day, I rather be proven wrong and be uncomfortable if it means that progress is made toward fighting against poverty.

I cannot bring myself to say that sweatshops are “good”.  But I do know that from all things, even from deplorable things, good can arise from it.

Here is the best video I found that shows both sides of the argument surrounding sweatshops. I myself am still in the process of formulating my position. Just to take a risk and put it out there… I cannot bring myself to say that sweatshops are “good”.  But I do know that from all things, even from deplorable things, good can arise from it.  When I listen to the challenges faced by my parents and others who grew up in impoverished nations and how they still overcame, they know this to be true.  One endures what they must to live.

So bringing it back to the sweatshops issue… I can acknowledge that good  can arise from their presence….yet I do believe that there are innovative solutions waiting to be discovered to change the very nature of “sweatshops” from within by focusing on the real qustion.  Why do sweatshops exist? Low costs that lead to high profit for owners and needed income by workers currently in poverty. Current anti-sweatshop campaings are demanding higher wages for fair compensation (typically that to be equivalent to the standard of living of those who are pursuing the campaign). If sweatshops comply, they loose their profitability as payment of wages tend to be on a flat rate. Everyone is paid the same amount. The loss of profitability can eventually lead to the shutdown of the sweatshop, causing many workers to loose their primary source of income. A lose-lose situation.

Well what if profit can be gained by both the sweatshop owner and worker and still keep costs relatively low?  Based on studies mentioned in  “Poor Economics – A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Poverty” (Banerjee and Duflo), a book I am currently reading, if  sweatshops owners were to provide competitive wages based on productivity as oppose to a flat rate, productivity would increase leading to an increase in profit. And in turn, the workers would receive an increase in income due to their increased productivity. A win-win situation.

Yes it is true that what the workers receive is far less than what we would receive in the U.S. But don’t forget that the cost of living varies from country to country.  Now I’m sure some one who has studied economics can punch a whole in my proposed “solution”. And that’s okay :)  The point is before taking any action, listen to get the full story to see if you are addressing the right problem that actually needs to be solved to improve the lives of those in poverty. Here is an example of what some students did in the Dominican Republic (Alta Gracia: A Victory for the Labor Movement! http://youtu.be/0miMILKtcoI )

I would love to hear everyone else’s thoughts…what is your opinion about sweatshops before watching the videos? Has it changed after watching the videos or reading Kristof’s article?  Do you  have any innovation solutions to this issue?  And don’t forget, we are part of the solution being a part of M121 that is seeking to be an innovator through social entrepreneurship in a country like India that is home to many sweatshops.

Day 23 | Farewell – Back in the U.S.A.

I arrived back to the good ole U.S. of A at 5am this morning. It’s a bit of a culture shock. Even the most unattractive and dirty areas of Chicago look pristine compared to cities in India. And everyone drives so organized with so much space between cars. And there isn’t anyone living on the highway or using the side of the road as a toilet. Within an hour of being home, I was enjoying a wonderful double cappuccino and egg, bacon and cheese sandwich from Starbucks. It never tasted so good. I also had an ice cold cup of water right from the tap. We have it so good here. My goal is to try and not lose sight of that as the memory fades.

Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions, I was looking forward to coming home, while at the same time felt sad to be leaving my new Indian friends. The day focused on, saying good bye to my hosts Shavez and Meribeny, wrapping up production with the Cross Stitch team, updating product specifications records, securing material suppliers (another trip to the market), developing our final costing structure, and forecasting our initial order volumes. We also had a team lunch at Cross Stitch with authentic “butter chicken,” rice and naan bread (my favorite), and a photo showing off some of fine products crafted this week. I was reminded of all the divine work of our Lord and the privilege to be along for the ride. I came to India with a lot of hope and uncertainty, I’m leaving with an established production partner, a regional manager in place, and eight other start-up potentials. Results that only a God of unlimited potential could orchestrate.

Thanks to all of our 300+ friends who prayed for me and all those involved in the movement during the last 23 days. Your support and enthusiasm has touched me deeply and a big reason so much was accomplished.

Tony and I look forward to an exciting year ahead as we help change lives, and our own lives are changed in the process. -Brad