The service organization HUmanity raises funds and awareness to combat human trafficking.
The organization is a chapter of International Justice Mission. According to IJM’s website, human trafficking for sex and forced labor, along with the illegal arms industry, is the second largest criminal industry in the world.
Senior Jessica Kirkham learned of the industry when she attended “Passion 2012,” a Christian conference held in Atlanta, Ga., for college students. Kirkham learned of human trafficking when she watched, “The Freedom Film: Indifference is Not an Option.”
“I had never heard of human trafficking before,” Kirkham said. “It sparked me to start something here at Harding.”
Kirkham began working with friends to establish HUmanity and held various events and fundraisers during the spring 2012 semester. HUmanity continues to raise awareness of human trafficking by supporting Partners Against Trafficking Humans, a non-profit organization in Little Rock, Ark.
PATH provides victims of human trafficking with a safe environment where they can be nourished back to health through Christian recovery programming. Along with Kirkham and several other students, senior Kolton Thomas has worked with PATH by building new facilities. An abandoned church building was donated to the organization, and students give their Saturday afternoons to travel to Little Rock to prepare the building for future residents.
“Whatever they need us to do, we’re willing to go down there and work for them,” Kirkham said.
Students help by mowing the area, cleaning, organizing and preparing a walking trail in the woods behind the property. Thomas said there are a number of projects to complete and students take trips every other weekend to work on the site.
“It has been really rewarding to go and help and see improvements made in that place,” Thomas said.
Kirkham and Thomas said they want to continue to inform the campus about human trafficking. Thomas said he feels that the progression of education and awareness of the issue will significantly contribute to the fight against human trafficking.
HUmanity will host a bake sale on Nov. 13 in the student center and will contribute the proceeds to IJM.
