Thai Christian fights child prostitution
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — This Southeast Asian nation is a source of, transit point for and destination for human trafficking.
From here, women and girls from Thailand’s hill tribes are trafficked to nations across the region — plus Australia, Europe, Canada and the U.S. — for sexual and labor exploitation, according to humantrafficking.org. International crime syndicates lure or force the young women into lives of slavery and horror.
Tawee Donchai wants it to end.Donchai, a member of Cheung Doi Church of Christ in Chiang Mai and a scientist researching HIV, grew up in the village of Chiang Rai, an impoverished community that has one of the highest rates of child prostitution in the country.
Donchai is Thailand director for The SOLD Project, a Pleasanton, Calif.-based humanitarian effort that reaches out to village children at risk of being sold into slavery.
“The SOLD Project focuses on prevention by trying to show children and parents that there are far better options than selling a child into prostitution.” said Chiang Mai church planter David Allen. Recently, fellow church members worked alongside Donchai to help the ministry.
“I have a dream to start a youth center in my hometown,” Donchai said. “I think it is important to give these children a broader view of the world … . I would also like to be able to provide scholarships for poor families to send their children to school.”
From here, women and girls from Thailand’s hill tribes are trafficked to nations across the region — plus Australia, Europe, Canada and the U.S. — for sexual and labor exploitation, according to humantrafficking.org. International crime syndicates lure or force the young women into lives of slavery and horror.
Tawee Donchai wants it to end.Donchai, a member of Cheung Doi Church of Christ in Chiang Mai and a scientist researching HIV, grew up in the village of Chiang Rai, an impoverished community that has one of the highest rates of child prostitution in the country.
Donchai is Thailand director for The SOLD Project, a Pleasanton, Calif.-based humanitarian effort that reaches out to village children at risk of being sold into slavery.
“The SOLD Project focuses on prevention by trying to show children and parents that there are far better options than selling a child into prostitution.” said Chiang Mai church planter David Allen. Recently, fellow church members worked alongside Donchai to help the ministry.
“I have a dream to start a youth center in my hometown,” Donchai said. “I think it is important to give these children a broader view of the world … . I would also like to be able to provide scholarships for poor families to send their children to school.”
-
Feedback
View Comments
I am the managing editor of First News Newspaper, in Ghana. I want to be part of this initiative. Please i want to here from you.
Ghana