Yoga Freedom Project

Yoga is rejuvenating, relaxing, and calming. But the yogi activists of the Yoga Freedom Project are not taking the fight against modern-day slavery calmly. What started as just a small idea in early 2011 has turned into a global movement using yoga practice as a way to raise awareness about human trafficking and funds for the Somaly Mam Foundation.

Heather Snyder first became aware and involved with the Somaly Mam Foundation when she read Somaly's book, The Road of Lost Innocence, three years ago. Somaly inspired Snyder with her courageous effort to rescue and empower victims and Snyder quickly began searching online for a way to help. Through SMF's volunteer initiative PROJECT FUTURES global, Snyder found an opportunity to join the fight.

"As the regional leader for NYC Off the Mat, Into the World, I am amongst an amazing group of yogis dedicated to service. I knew I had found my way in to help," Snyder explained. Through the effort of a team from PROJECT FUTURES and fellow volunteers, the Yoga Freedom Project came into being. In the month of January alone, there have been more than 50 donation-based classes around the world.

The month long yoga awareness project culminates on January 31 with a Practice for Freedom, an inspirational class and celebration led collaboratively by Elena Brower, Sri Dharma Mittra, Dana Flynn, Alan Finger, Cyndi Lee, Jodie Rufty, Sierra Bender, Tricia Donegan, and Off the Mat's Suzanne Sterling.

"All of these powerful teachers from varying yoga lineages are coming together to give a voice to this cause and stand in unity," Snyder explained.

2011: The Year of the Volunteer

2011 was a year of action. From Australia to New York City, Los Angeles and beyond, volunteers took action against modern-day slavery in support of the Somaly Mam Foundation. The partnership between Project Futures (an Australian volunteer group) and SMF led to the launch of the PROJECT FUTURES global volunteer initiative was hugely successful. The partnership continues to empower volunteers to take action against sex slavery.

 

Hundreds of volunteers embraced and continue to embrace the program pledging time, making commitments, and creating new ideas to take action. Volunteers raised impressive funds in 2011 with events and campaigns such as 18 for 18, 50g For Our Sisters, Hamptons Marathon, and the Run for Freedom.

PROJECT FUTURES global officially launched in New York City with a party hosted by Seth Meyers hosted at the Bowery Hotel. The NYC launch raised nearly $20,000 dollars and gained many new volunteers.

The Los Angeles launch was a star studded event. Celebrities and ambassadors such as AnnaLynne McCord, Shay Mitchell, and Ron Livingston showed their support for SMF and mingled with volunteers and other supporters all sharing ideas to create action.

Join PROJECT FUTURES global in 2012. Take action and become part of a global team of amazing volunteers.

5 Ways to Fight Slavery This Holiday Season

Winter is a season of gatherings and gift giving. So why not make it count for something? Spread the joy of giving and receiving, and have a positive impact on the world while doing so.

1. Give a survivor made gift. Visit the Empowerment Store and help support a survivor as she embraces her new life.
2. Throw a holiday fundraising party. This holiday season, celebrate compassion, hope, and life by asking your holiday party guests to bring a donation of your suggested amount which you will donate to the Somaly Mam Foundation. Explain to them what their money will help give the gift of survival and empowerment. 
3. Give the gift of knowledge and awareness. Purchase Somaly Mam's book The Road of Lost Innocence and share it with your friends and loved ones. They will finish the book changed, aware of the horrors aof human trafficking and hopefull inspired to take action.
4. Buy slave free gifts. Check out the Ethical Shopping Guide for slave-free gift ideas.
5. Use fair-trade ingredients in your baking. You know those chocolate chips in your delicious holiday cookies? Sadly, the cocoa beans may have come from a farm that uses child slaves. One of the most in-demand products during the holiday season, chocolate has a not-so-sweet dark side. Child slaves in West Africa work for no money, starving and tortured. Purchase fair-trade chocolate from companies such as Equal Exchange to make sure that satisying your sweet tooth doesn't harm others. 

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out this list of gifts that benefit the Somaly Mam Foundation.

Use this guide to take action against slavery during the holiday season with your friends and families, but don't stop there. Together we can give others a reason to celebrate.

The Best Holiday Deal You Can Get

This Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and for the rest of the holiday season, you can get the most amazing deal by giving the gift of compassion, empowerment, and survival.

Visit the Empowerment Store and with any purchase you will receive the satisfaction of knowing you have donated to help end modern-day slavery and empower victims. Now that is a holiday deal you can't pass up.

Young and taking action

She may only be in high school, but Olivia Dufour is doing her part to fight against trafficking and help victims and survivors in the shelters. Olivia has collected over 350 items for the shelters including; 181 books, 61 dolls, 10 toys, 10 types of art supplies, book bags, and tote bags. She estimates the total of items to be around 365.

Olivia first met Somaly Mam two years ago at a Young Professionals dinner.

"We've been friends ever since and my passion for ending human trafficking has only grown stronger," Olivia said.

After Somaly told Olivia that she needed supplies for survivors living in shelters, Olivia started Dolls for Healing, a program that collects items for shelters and raises awareness and create action. Olivia holds seminars and events to help end the sex trade in the United States and abroad.

Do you have your own volunteer project? Want to start your own? Visit PROJECT FUTURES global and get involved today. The future awaits!