FAIR Fund is an international nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C. that works to prevent human trafficking and sexual violence in the lives of youth around the globe. With an emphasis on young girls aged 11 to 24 FAIR Fund has an active presence in Bosnia, Chicago IL, Serbia, Russia, Washington D.C., and Uganda.
FAIR Fund utilizes a combination of educational workshops aimed at prevention, outreach and art therapy for exploited young girls and girl survivors. Additionally they use a variety training methods to educate supporters how to identify and assist high risk and sexually exploited or trafficked teens by reaching out to teachers, social workers, police, judges, students and medical professionals.
To-date FAIR Fund has educated over 5,000 professionals worldwide on how to reach out to and educate youth on keeping safe from sexual violence and human trafficking. They believe this is a critical step in ending youth trafficking and exploitation.
The programs of FAIR Fund include utilizing two core curriculums that focus on education and building relationships with high risk youth. Their Tell Your Friends program was piloted at Washington D.C. public high schools and reached over 2,000 youth. The program’s goal was to reduce the risk of commercial sexual exploitation of teen girls and centered on a four-week educational workshop series in public high schools with the theme prevent human trafficking. Designed to facilitate discussions among teens each workshop focused on youth’s perceptions of healthy and unhealthy dating relationships, commercial sex exploitation and human trafficking. The Tell Your Friends program is based on real life experiences of teen survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
By reaching out to train and educate youth about this issue FAIR Funds hopes to educate young girls who are at risk on what sexual exploitation really is, what the consequences are, and how to protect themselves.
Another program Project Prepare! works in collaboration with the International Organization of Adolescence to prepare youth leaving orphanages or refugee camps to lead productive lives and be aware of the many forms of human trafficking and abuse.
Developed in 2005 this program focused their efforts in Eastern Europe with the goal of reaching youth orphaned in an economically devastated part of the world. Poverty, war, natural disaster, and parental abandonment lead to orphan care and these children are often denied the chance to lead healthy and productive lives. Project Prepare! provides training during the transition from youth to adult life. Working with youth to create job skills training, and education on how to identify and avoid traffickers the youth are given empowerment skills to make better decisions for their lives and a chance for to lead healthy and product lives.
The JewelGirls program gives young girls who have experienced trafficking and sexual exploitation first-hand the opportunity for art therapy and economic empowerment. By training young girls in the art of jewelry making each girl has the opportunity for an income generating job and a chance at a healthy independent future.
JewelGirls learn how to make and sell their own jewelry while also learning marketing, communication and finance skills.
While each child in the FAIR Fund programs comes from a different background, have different life experiences they all share one thing in common, they are learning skills that will keep them safe from future exploitation. Come see our socially conscious gifts that support the end of human trafficking.
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