A Bergen resident is seeking used leather belts and jewelry to refurbish and resell to raise funds to combat human trafficking.
"Our team of volunteers started collecting used leather belts and old jewelry to repurpose and resell," said Jaime Bodell, who was born and raised in Ardrossan ó a hamlet located east of Edmonton ó before moving to Bergen in 2014.
"We are raising money and donating 100 per cent of it to the SA (Servants Anonymous) foundation, in hopes that our redeemed belts will help women and children caught in slavery to redeem their lives."
Anyone and everyone can get involved in this initiative, she told the Round Up by email, encouraging people to rummage through their closets and old jewelry boxes and to donate any such items they no longer use. The Sundre Municipal Library will throughout September be accepting on behalf of the foundation contributions from the community.
"Under the direction of a volunteer board of trustees, the foundation initiates the development of programs and services for young women between the ages of 16 and 29, who have been or are at risk of becoming, sexually exploited and/or trafficked," reads an introduction about the group on the website www.safoundation.com.
According to statistics on human trafficking, which is approximately a $32-billion a year industry, 800,000 people are smuggled across international borders annually with sexual exploitation being the most common form of abuse documented.
"The SA foundation opened my eyes to the epidemic that is sex slavery," Bodell said.
"Before that, I never knew how many people were bound by this terrible industry. It is so easy to turn the other way when a problem isn't right in front of you affecting your personal life, but it could. It could be your sister one day, or your son or daughter ó it could be any one of us."
So she decided to get involved to help make a difference in the lives of those who need a chance.
"We are so lucky to have the power to choose what we do every day, and I believe we should share that," she said.
The name of the initiative is Redeemed With Purpose, said Naomi H., the Alberta ambassador for the foundation.
"Daily, we receive requests to train new teams around the world," she says.
"Sadly, due to funding limitations we turn many away."
According to the Global Slavery Index, more than 45 million people around the world live as slaves despite the fact the industry was made illegal long ago.
"No one wants to be a sex slave. This is not a choice. They are there due to force or a lack of choice ó everyone should have the right to leave it!"
