The Emancipation Network (TEN) is an international organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking and modern day slavery. It helps survivors of slavery rebuild their lives after rescue from slavery, through economic empowerment, education and help reintegrating into society. It works to prevent slavery in high risk communities such as red light and refugee communities, by creating jobs for adults and through volunteer trips and donations to their shelter partners for rescue, school fees, emergency needs and reintegration. TEN imports and sells handicraft products made by survivors of slavery and persons at risk of being trafficked into slavery.
History
The Emancipation Network, MadebySurvivors, and TEN Charities were founded by Sarah Symons and John Berger in 2005. John and Sarah are married and together have built TEN from the ground up using their personal savings and dedicated community of friends.
TEN combines public outreach and education programs about human trafficking with income-generating programs for survivors and high risk girls. Staff members, "Ambassadors" and volunteers organize awareness events across the country to educate people about human trafficking and sell the Made by Survivors products. Sarah was inspired to start TEN after viewing "The Day My God Died," a film about sex trafficking in Nepal and India. She visited Maiti shelter in Nepal and stumbled across a room full of beautiful purses. These handbags were made for art therapy, but Sarah had the idea to sell them in the US and raise money for the girls. The idea became reality and now the selling of Made by Survivors products generates income for both survivors and at-risk groups. Since Sarah's first visit to Nepal in 2005, TEN has expanded to work with over 20 partners in 12 countries.