Yewande's Refugee Village
Donation protected
Change Rocks Foundation's Web Site
I’m building a village and I need YOUR help! For nearly 3 years now, I’ve personally poured thousands of dollars and countless hours into working with human trafficking victims across America and Nigeria. This inspired me to build Alheri Refugee Village – a sustainable rehabilitation community that will help survivors of Boko Haram conflict reclaim their independence and freedom. In 2015, my humanitarian organization, the Change Rocks Foundation, was the first in the world to provide IDP children (internally displaced people) with emergency education relief in the Durumi IDP Camp (Abuja, Nigeria).
Six months ago, one of the survivors informed me that the camp was being dismantled. This would leave 200 people, including the children that I taught, not only homeless again, but defenseless against more violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. I knew I had to do something, but didn't want to create another “temporary” solution. My answer is Alheri Village. It will be the first rehabilitation model of its kind in Nigeria – one central location that will provide survivors with fully integrated services, from transitional housing and psychological support to job acquisition training. But developing a project of this scale requires more funds than I can personally afford and time is running out. I need your help NOW to protect these families and help them become contributing members of our global community.
WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT TERRORISM?
The founder of terrorist group, Boko Haram, was once a homeless boy that lived in the streets of Nigeria – cold, hungry and alone – just like the children that you see in the photograph above. Most of the world had never heard of Boko Haram until they kidnapped 300 school girls from Chibok, Nigeria in 2014, but for the past 10 years this group has been responsible for killing more than 30,000 people, kidnapping thousands of women and girls, and displacing over 2 million Nigerians. In 2013, Boko Haram slaughtered the families and destroyed the villages of the residents that will live in Alheri Village. Without sufficient education, shelter, healthcare or job skills, it’s just a matter of time before despair fuels the next generation of terrorists.
WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?
Human trafficking occurs when people are exploited for the exchange of money or goods. There are many forms of trafficking, but 3 of the most common ones are forced labor, organ harvesting and commercial sexual exploitation. Trafficking generates over $150 billion every year and affects every race, gender and class around the world. The plight of these IDP's isn’t an African issue - its consequences reach as far away as America. 40% OF THE CHILDREN FORCED INTO CHILD LABOR in Nigeria are at risk of becoming trafficking victims. Nigeria has 1 of the the 8 HIGHEST RATES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING in the world. More than 200,000 VICTIMS HAVE BEEN TRAFFICKED FROM NIGERIA TO AMERICA and EUROPE.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ME RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TRAFFICKING?
I first met the future residents of Alheri Village when I was filming “Amazing Grace: Freedom’s Song” - a documentary about global human trafficking. Directed by the Horne Brothers, this film captures my mission to uncover this $150 billion industry across America and Nigeria – 2 countries bound by a 400 yearlong history of slavery. The development of Alheri Village will also be captured in my film. With interest from major television networks, your donations will also help me finish this documentary and educate the world about human trafficking. See a sneak preview of my film below:
HOW WILL YOUR DONATIONS HELP?
I’ve accomplished so much in the past year of this campaign from providing emergency food and education relief and relocating IDP's to temporary shelter to teaching social entrepreneurship classes, funding three (3) start-up businesses and establishing a stellar team that's ready to start building....but I still need your help! In order to make the village sustainable, my goal is to raise a total of $100,000, but I’m asking friends to help me raise $20,000 to execute the next phase. Your donations will help me:
1) Purchase land
2) Build 54 homes, 1 job training facility, 1 medical clinic, 1 computer lab,
2 offices, 1 lodge for professional educators and student study abroad learners
3) Dig a borehole for clean natural water
4) Install a sanitation and waste management system
5) Install power supply to homes and buildings
6) Build an aquaponics farm and buy food manufacturing equipment
7) Enroll 30 children in primary and secondary school
8) Staff village with educators and trade professionals
– Reading, Math, Midwifery, Permaculture, Auto
Repair, Tailoring, Shoemaking, Baking and more
9) Provide micro-loans to graduates for their new homes and start-up businesses
10) Finish filming and editing my documentary,
“Amazing Grace: Freedom’s Song”
MORE INFORMATION: Please email me directly at [email redacted] for a complete overview or sponsorship deck.
*** All benefits, with exception of the film, will be
delivered within 90 days of completion of the
campaign.
I’m building a village and I need YOUR help! For nearly 3 years now, I’ve personally poured thousands of dollars and countless hours into working with human trafficking victims across America and Nigeria. This inspired me to build Alheri Refugee Village – a sustainable rehabilitation community that will help survivors of Boko Haram conflict reclaim their independence and freedom. In 2015, my humanitarian organization, the Change Rocks Foundation, was the first in the world to provide IDP children (internally displaced people) with emergency education relief in the Durumi IDP Camp (Abuja, Nigeria).
Six months ago, one of the survivors informed me that the camp was being dismantled. This would leave 200 people, including the children that I taught, not only homeless again, but defenseless against more violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. I knew I had to do something, but didn't want to create another “temporary” solution. My answer is Alheri Village. It will be the first rehabilitation model of its kind in Nigeria – one central location that will provide survivors with fully integrated services, from transitional housing and psychological support to job acquisition training. But developing a project of this scale requires more funds than I can personally afford and time is running out. I need your help NOW to protect these families and help them become contributing members of our global community.
WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT TERRORISM?The founder of terrorist group, Boko Haram, was once a homeless boy that lived in the streets of Nigeria – cold, hungry and alone – just like the children that you see in the photograph above. Most of the world had never heard of Boko Haram until they kidnapped 300 school girls from Chibok, Nigeria in 2014, but for the past 10 years this group has been responsible for killing more than 30,000 people, kidnapping thousands of women and girls, and displacing over 2 million Nigerians. In 2013, Boko Haram slaughtered the families and destroyed the villages of the residents that will live in Alheri Village. Without sufficient education, shelter, healthcare or job skills, it’s just a matter of time before despair fuels the next generation of terrorists.
WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING? Human trafficking occurs when people are exploited for the exchange of money or goods. There are many forms of trafficking, but 3 of the most common ones are forced labor, organ harvesting and commercial sexual exploitation. Trafficking generates over $150 billion every year and affects every race, gender and class around the world. The plight of these IDP's isn’t an African issue - its consequences reach as far away as America. 40% OF THE CHILDREN FORCED INTO CHILD LABOR in Nigeria are at risk of becoming trafficking victims. Nigeria has 1 of the the 8 HIGHEST RATES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING in the world. More than 200,000 VICTIMS HAVE BEEN TRAFFICKED FROM NIGERIA TO AMERICA and EUROPE.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ME RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TRAFFICKING?I first met the future residents of Alheri Village when I was filming “Amazing Grace: Freedom’s Song” - a documentary about global human trafficking. Directed by the Horne Brothers, this film captures my mission to uncover this $150 billion industry across America and Nigeria – 2 countries bound by a 400 yearlong history of slavery. The development of Alheri Village will also be captured in my film. With interest from major television networks, your donations will also help me finish this documentary and educate the world about human trafficking. See a sneak preview of my film below:
HOW WILL YOUR DONATIONS HELP?
I’ve accomplished so much in the past year of this campaign from providing emergency food and education relief and relocating IDP's to temporary shelter to teaching social entrepreneurship classes, funding three (3) start-up businesses and establishing a stellar team that's ready to start building....but I still need your help! In order to make the village sustainable, my goal is to raise a total of $100,000, but I’m asking friends to help me raise $20,000 to execute the next phase. Your donations will help me:
1) Purchase land
2) Build 54 homes, 1 job training facility, 1 medical clinic, 1 computer lab,
2 offices, 1 lodge for professional educators and student study abroad learners
3) Dig a borehole for clean natural water
4) Install a sanitation and waste management system
5) Install power supply to homes and buildings
6) Build an aquaponics farm and buy food manufacturing equipment
7) Enroll 30 children in primary and secondary school
8) Staff village with educators and trade professionals
– Reading, Math, Midwifery, Permaculture, Auto
Repair, Tailoring, Shoemaking, Baking and more
9) Provide micro-loans to graduates for their new homes and start-up businesses
10) Finish filming and editing my documentary,
“Amazing Grace: Freedom’s Song”
MORE INFORMATION: Please email me directly at [email redacted] for a complete overview or sponsorship deck.
*** All benefits, with exception of the film, will be
delivered within 90 days of completion of the
campaign.
Organizer
Yewande Austin
Organizer
Richmond, VA