India (MNN) — Are you a business leader? Your help is needed to fight human trafficking in India. Bright Hope International’s CH Dyer says they’re working with U.S. and Indian business leaders on a sustainable way to support their projects, including the Anti-Human Trafficking Program.
(Image courtesy Bright Hope)
According to the U.S. State Department’s 2013 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report, 90% of all human trafficking happens within the country; as opposed to people being taken out of the country or brought into India. Those at the bottom of India’s caste system, such as the Dalit people, are most vulnerable.
In addition, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates 15% of India’s estimated 2.3 million sex workers are children.
Earlier this month, business leaders met 24 girls helped by Bright Hope’s program in northern India; all were between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. Dyer says they wanted to show the young women that not all men are predators; some follow God and are protectors.
“We went and visited them, we heard their stories; we surrounded them in prayer,” says Dyer. “We wanted these businessmen to get to know and see the faces of the people that they’re helping. It was an emotional day.”
The following day, Dyer says leaders put their heads together. They asked themselves, what types of businesses would make sense? What would make the best profit?
“We wanted the local businessmen to really share from their community,” Dyer says, “because we can’t decide…from the outside.”
Some leaders wanted to make an immediate impact.
“We didn’t expect this, and we weren’t really asking for this, but one of the Indian businessmen gave a gift right there,” recalls Dyer. “He just took out his checkbook and said, ‘I want to support this’.”
Another businessman pledged his support for the project.
“We didn’t even ask them to do that. It was just something that their hearts were compelled to do,” Dyer says. “They were obviously moved and touched…and I think they got a new sense of what their business could mean in impacting the world.”
And, he adds, it’s a rising trend.
“We’re seeing increasing amounts of business men and women coming and saying, ‘What can I do? Can I get involved?'” Dyer states.
Contact Bright Hope to see how your business can come alongside.
“Businesspeople have specific gifts that we want to tie into projects like this,” says Dyer. He describes SHAPE, a model Bright Hope uses to qualify partnering agencies.
“The ‘S’ is for sage; we’re looking for people with wisdom,” Dyer explains.
‘H’ stands for Helper, a person who gives their time and is a hands-on problem solver. An Ambassador is someone who can network professionally and open doors of opportunity for the program. Philanthropist describes a person with the gift of giving; lastly, ‘E’ stands for Executive.
“We look for those five types of people to engage with each one of our programs,” says Dyer.
Want to help right now? Pray God raises up the knowledge and support needed for a profitable business.
“That would be an amazing one-minute prayer that they can pray right now,” Dyer states. “Pray for our business model that we come up with over the next three months.”
Pray also for the 24 young girls helped by Bright Hope’s Anti-Human Trafficking Program.
“Whatever connections God has given you, go and explore those,” he adds.
