Runways to Freedom Campaign

Want to join our Runways to Freedom changemakers in making a difference?

We are raising money to make an impact for our "Runways to Freedom" #wearenotatrend campaign that is supporting refugees being exploited in the fashion industry and beyond.

Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.

More information about Runways to Freedom:

We are an activist organization supporting refugee and migrant models through advocacy, mental health support and mindfulness ‍♀️

for more info: www.runwaystofreedom.org

More information about Stand For Education Inc.:

Stand for Education is a for purpose charity organization dedicated to providing access to education for underprivileged children and women. We empower through education and arts.

for more info and for tax cuts and concerns donate directly: www.standforeducation.org and please specify that your donation is for the "Runways to Freedom" campaign.

We thank you for your support.

Please read our latest update regarding what we have been doing below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

UPDATE: 10/07/2023

Hello Everyone,

My name is Mari Malek. As someone who has personally lived through the challenges and traumas that refugees and immigrants face, I want their voices to be heard, their stories to be told.

I am a former refugee from South Sudan, and the co founder along of this incredible movement, "Runways to Freedom" #Wearenotatrend and I am also the founder of “Stand For Education” a 501 c 3 charity organization that empowers children living in conflict through education and creative arts with a special focus on girls. This is how I originally met Nyabalang before she was scouted in Kakuma to become a fashion model.

For the past two years, I have been mentoring and coaching Nyabalang and other refugee youth who live in Kakuma refugee camp on reaching their full potential in life by mainly providing them with mental health support, positive mindset living, and mindfulness.

Nyablang Gatwech Pur Reached out to me for help after she was scouted and sent to Paris Fashion Week on a visa to work snd not too shortly after arrival, she was being asked to return back to Africa, but before we could help Nyabalang she was sent to Nairobi; but all hope is not lost.

Our goal is to help protect Nyabalang and other refugee models who are being exploited in the fashion industry, and to prevent this from happening in the future to other refugee models and any refugees and migrants who are facing similar cases.

No matter our different backgrounds, experiences, politics, times-zones, languages, academics, religions, sexual orientations, ages, ethnicities, races, or socioeconomic status we believe we all share the same fervent belief in human kindness we’ve seen it in each of your unequivocal support with Nyabalang Gatwhech Pur’s story you are all “Social Justice Warriors”, and we wanted to take this time to thank you all for your early support on this journey we started in February 2021.

“Runways to Freedom” With a sense of unwavering determination; despite facing immense adversity Nyabalang has used those setbacks. Nyabalang's resoluteness to tell the truth; that can only truly be described as the epitome of resiliency about her treatment has inspired others to stand with her resolve telling their own similar stories of oppression from those in positions of power and influence, and after years of so many twist and turns perfidious allies – we know now it’s always darkest before the dawn it’s finally given way to some closure in a sense. We cannot disclose too much information yet, but rest assured everyone will hear more about it in the coming weeks ahead. Which, is another reason why Runways to Freedom is relaunching this gofund me page to support the victims who have come forward and coming forward.

Runways to Freedom needs your help. Your contribution will help with:

-Bailiff fees

-Temporary housing fees (to help misplaced victims, some of these are underage and we need to find family members before we can move them to their country of origin)

-blankets

-food

-gas bill

-mattresses

-bedding

-school fees (a lot of the refugees do not have the funds to re-enroll in schooling once they return to the camps and end up not being able to make a better life for themselves)

-clothing

-travel (returning victim to their country of origin after they have been left behind by agency/agent in a foreign country)

-Doctor appointment/physical examination/medical needs (when a refugee is asked to lose weight when they are already malnourished and it’s not don’t in a proper guided way. This leads to long term health problems and them arriving to the agency ill, and being sent back to the camps due to being unable to work, and are never seen by doctors during that time)

-programs (we have been working on programs to help stop these practices and educate refugees who have scouts come to the camps, examples: “Stop Grooming, How to Recognize the Signs of Grooming” and “Contract RED Flags”)

for more about us, Nyabalang and our movement and how you can help us, please visit our website:

www.runwaystofreedom.org