The Human, Earth Project is growing.
It grows slowly at times, almost imperceptibly, yet has never stopped spreading across the globe. Sometimes it circles all the way around to find me again.
Recently, I was wading through a muddy jungle on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. I met a stranger on the trail, and we started chatting.
We exchanged names and, in the course of conversation, he asked me what I do. I told him I was working on a documentary film project.
‘Wait,’ he said. ‘Your name’s Ben, right? Is this the human trafficking documentary, Sisters For Sale?’
Incredibly, he’d heard about The Human, Earth Project for the first time that very morning.
An Israeli, he’d heard about it from a friend in Europe, who’d heard about it from a friend in Latin America.
A few days later, he did what he could to help the Project continue – as did his friend in Europe, and her friend in Latin America.
This is how the The Human, Earth Project has survived for three and a half years.
It is a true grassroots movement spread by word of mouth, a tenuous network built from one person to the next, each giving what they can to keep the dream alive.
Every one of those people is important. Every one of those people makes a difference in spreading awareness of the global human trafficking crisis.
With every new person that learns of our work, our roots spread a little deeper, holding us a little more firmly to the earth.
There has been little mainstream media attention. There has been no corporate funding or support. It’s just you and me.
Without you, this whole thing would come tumbling down.
Over the past three and a half years, your support has been wonderful, and crucial to the continuation of this work.
Suzie Hanlan runs yoga classes in Alaska, dedicating the proceeds to The Human, Earth Project.
Sammantha Mavin recently organised a trivia night with her Girl Guide group which raised hundreds of dollars on our behalf.
I’d like to thank Brigitte Amat, Jaen Nieto Amat, Etienne Gozems, Simone, and Tal Shahar for your support over the past months.
Wendy Davis, Michelle Imison, Jimmie Meader and Kerstin Raitl have now sent multiple contributions.
Belinda Warfield – someone I’ve never met, on the other side of the globe – continues to be our most regular contributor, with five contributions in the past ten months.
The Human, Earth Project has survived, and it has grown – but now, it needs to do more than that.
Next month, we’ll be launching a final fundraising campaign to save Sisters For Sale.
Although I’ve succeeded in keeping costs to a bare minimum, as a multi-year film project, Sisters For Sale has inevitably become an extremely expensive undertaking.
So far, I’ve paid most of the costs from my own pocket. That’s no longer an option.
If this campaign can’t raise the funds required to complete Sisters For Sale, I’ll be moving on to other work.
Some of you have been following this story from the beginning. You’ve seen the struggles and the sacrifices, and the incredible things we’ve achieved – but there’s still plenty you haven’t seen.
In the coming months, we’re going to be giving you more than we ever have – but we’re going to be asking for a lot, too.
We’ll be sharing a lot of incredible new material with you – but that won’t be enough. We need you to share it with your networks, to send it to your friends. We need their support, too.
What can you do to contribute, to raise funds, to spread the word?
Take a moment to think about it.
The Human, Earth Project has shown what a difference one person can make.
Now, if Sisters For Sale is going to survive, that person needs to be you.
If you haven’t already seen it, the new ‘Sisters For Sale’ trailer is now available in both Spanish and French, thanks to the talents of Jaen Nieto Amat and Maria Julia Ravera.
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