Jun 30, 2020

Set Her Free

Welcome to Freedom Firm's Awareness Campaign. This blog is the first of twelve that will educate and inform you about child sex trafficking in India. In 2006, Greg and Mala Malstead founded Freedom Firm, a non-profit that rescues minor girls out of prostitution. Freedom Firm believes the best way to create systemic change is by holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes and providing care for survivors. In the following video, Mala explains some of the greatest challenges faced after a girl is rescued.

In over 13 years, Freedom Firm has rescued more than 600 girls from sexual slavery, walked with them on the road to recovery and achieved 11 convictions. Freedom Firm has provided job training for hundreds of girls. A group of these survivors work in a small business in Kolkata making beautiful handicrafts. They have become artisans.

Celebrating Nadia's Freedom

Meet Nadia, a skilled artisan who specializes in Aari embroidery, a type of delicate needlework dating back to the 12th century. After she was rescued from sex-trafficking, she became one of the first girls to complete Freedom Firm’s 6-month jewelry-making training in 2013. Now she makes bags, scarves, and jewelry, and oversees quality control. She also enjoys training other artisans in her craft.

After years in the brothel, Nadia didn’t trust anyone when she first joined the artisan team seven years ago. Gradually, as Freedom Firm staff accepted and cared for her, she began to trust and to heal. She listened, learned, and followed sound financial advice and now saves a portion of her salary each month. With her savings, Nadia built a mud house for her mother and sister and recently purchased food for a friend suffering from the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nadia has bright dreams for herself and for others. She desires to develop her knowledge of finance and design so she can train other artisans more effectively and expand the business. With her entrepreneurial mindset, Nadia envisions building a house of brick and stone with one unit for her family and an additional unit to rent. She also wants to buy land for growing vegetables.

Let’s celebrate Nadia today on July 4th, Independence Day, as a woman who has used her freedom to bless others.

Freedom Collection

When a handicraft is purchased, 100% of the profits go back to the mission of rescue, restoration, and justice. Every girl signs the craft she has made so the buyer can know her name. Shop the Freedom Collection to support survivors.