Your Christmas generosity works hard for freedom all year long
Every year, you and your fellow supporters use the IJM Christmas Gift Catalogue as an incredible way to celebrate a season of generosity and live out your collective commitment to justice.
Just look at the Slavery Rescue Operations item. It’s one of the most popular and transformative items, turning stories of captivity into journeys of freedom and healing.
Because when you choose to give, you make it possible for our teams to investigate cases, partner with local authorities, bring survivors like Rudi* to safety and start their aftercare.
Rudi was living in Indonesia when he accepted an invitation to work abroad in the Philippines. It had seemed like a legitimate job opportunity to expand his career experience in graphic design, but it wasn’t until he arrived that he realized he had fallen prey to a scam operation. “Anyone, regardless of their background or education, can become a victim of human trafficking,” he reflects.
His passport was confiscated upon his arrival and he and his friends were forced to work without pay. His physical and mental health deteriorated, and he knew he had to try to escape back home.
Thanks to your compassionate support this past Christmas and throughout the year, stories like Rudi’s don’t end in exploitation and pain.
Rudi and his friends were rescued, and he was able to get connected to an IJM team for aftercare. The team was able to assist him in providing his testimony in court and finding a new job close to home in Indonesia.
He also participates in education events to raise public awareness about human trafficking. Because he knows how easy it was for him and his friends to be tricked, he wants to prevent the same thing from happening again.
Thanks to Rudi’s advocacy, IJM’s work and your support, more people across Indonesia and the world are staying safe without ever having to experience the pain of slavery. That is a beautiful reality you’re helping us achieve.