200th Anniversary

As I pointed out a few posts ago and by my buddy Joy in her blog, today is the 200th Anniversary of the end of the slave trade in England. If your not familiar with this, go see the movie Amazing Grace. For me, this movie was a great motivation for educating myself on this topic and opening my eyes to the horrible and growing slave trade throughout the world.

Although slavery ended long ago here in the US, slavery is still rampant in other parts of the world; children being forced into slave labor in west Africa and girls sold into the sex slavery in parts of Asia and India. It is disheartening and overwhelming. We live in such an isolated bubble here in the US; like ostriches with our heads in the sand, ignoring the plight of others outside the "developed" nations.

I was glad to see that one of our national news networks (CBS) had a story about this 200th anniversary and the continuing child slave trade in western Africa. They highlighted the Sanctuary of Moses, a school started by a Miami business woman to help fight child slavery in the western African nation of Benin.

What can you do?

Start by educating yourself via these websites....
International Justice Mission
The Amazing Change
Stop the Traffik

Purchase Fair Trade products, especially coffees, teas, sugar, and chocolates.
Equal Exchange
Fair Trade

And finally, go out there and tell others about this issue.