By Maddy Reid

Many individuals around the world have the privilege of being surrounded by a safe and loving community where the notion of freedom is simply second nature.

But unfortunately this is not the reality for roughly 40.3 million individuals who experience oppression within modern day slavery.

When first hearing this harsh truth, I was overwhelmed! What could I possibly do to have any impact on these peoples lives?

I was desperate to help, but felt like I had no clue where to start.

This desire to see social justice abound is what ultimately led me to becoming a volunteer within The Freedom Project.

But I’m getting ahead of myself… And it is at this point that you may be asking ‘how did I - a 20-something year old with nothing but a laptop and a desire for change - get here, writing blogs to edcuate others for an organisation fighting to end slavery?’

To answer that, we have to go back a few years:

When I was only 13 years old I was shared a story of a young girl who was exactly my age; she had been sold by her family into the prostitution industry, abused and rejected.

My heart broke for this girl. I was overwhelmed with emotion, I couldn’t fathom the fact that this little girl hadn’t grown up like me. She hadn’t had the privilege of being brought up within a safe and loving community, but rather was exposed to the tragic reality of wealth and status dictating her worth, thus leading to her family’s decision to force her into the degrading human trafficking industry. She spent her childhood working hard to support her family, losing her sense of dignity and identity in the process.

Due to growing up in a Christian family and having a solid faith of my own, I was reminded of the hope that each and every individual is loved and valued by God. We are reminded of this hope in 1 John 4:10 where God reveals the depths of His great love for us by sending an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Because of this, I felt a strong conviction to help young girls, just like the one I had heard about in this story. It transformed me, as it sparked the desire for change within a world of injustice.

Cut to 2019 (what feels like a lifetime ago now!) when I came across The Freedom Project as they promoted participating in the Manly Fun Run to raise funds and awareness for their anti-trafficking programs!

I made the decision to join in and partner with The Freedom Project because of their shared passion to end human trafficking around the world and to bring hope to many. Setting some of the world’s most vulnerable people free, not just from slavery, but from slavery to sin. Just like the many other participants that day, I was excited by the work they were undergoing and I desperately wanted to be apart of the change they were achieving!

So alongside some TFP staff and other supporters, both old and new like myself, we participated in the 10km run which overlooked the stunning Manly seaside. We ran with the hope of raising greater awareness for modern day slavery, and anticipated that in doing so onlookers would feel empowered to seek change within their community. To say that this Freedom Event simply ‘reinforced’ my passion to help those whose freedoms are oppressed would be an understatement! So much so that even after the run I didn’t let my involvement fizzle! Soon after, I reached out to volunteer more regularly and the rest is history!

Just this month, I have now been volunteering at The Freedom Project for a year, and what a rewarding experience it has been! Over these past 12 months, I have had the amazing privilege of writing blog posts with the intention of educating our readers, such as yourself about the work we do. I pray that my blogs would both inspire and encourage our readers to get involved, donate and advocate for the freedoms of those oppressed in modern day slavery.

My story is a testimony of how each and every individual has the potential to seek change, no matter how big or great the issue.

We can’t do everything, but we must do something.

To read another of Maddy’s blogs, ‘Arjun’s Story’, click here

Meet Maddy: TFP Advocate & Volunteer