Celebrating WICKED GOOD People With WOW!

Today I’m participating in a mass blogging day! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about “Special People We Know and Love.” Why? We’re celebrating the release of Joanne Lewis’s and Amy Lewis Faircloth’s debut novel. Wicked Good (Telemachus Press, LLC, 2011) is about the unconditional love between a mother and her adopted, special needs (Asperger’s Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder) son and the adventure that brings them closer together. Visit The Muffin at http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ to read what Joanne and Amy have to share about their special people and view the list of all my blogging buddies. Then be sure to visit http://www.amyandjoanne.com/ to learn more about the authors.

So who am I blogging about today then?

In keeping with the theme of this blog–education and helping women and children around the world, I thought I would take a minute to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart, the organization Made By Survivors. Although many of my fellow bloggers will be blogging about special people in their lives–family members, friends, neighbors–and I sure have many of those–(I couldn’t do as much as I do without my husband and my parents! And I could go on and on about my wonderful daughter and stepson), I really want to share with you this wonderful site since the holidays are almost upon us.

Human trafficking and the sex slave industry is something I’ve written about many times on here ever since I went to the human trafficking information night at the U of I a couple years ago. Then I read a book about women’s issues in the world, and it changed my life. If you haven’t read the book Half the Sky yet, please put it on your list. It is a book that will make a huge difference in your life. What goes on around the world and in our own country with the abuse of young girls in brothels is horrifying, and Made By Survivors is doing something to help women and children who have been victims of this abuse. Here’s more info:

From their website (http://www.madebysurvivors.com): Made by Survivors is “the core program of Made By Survivors Network, a US based NGO that works internationally with survivors of slavery and human trafficking. Founded in 2005, our mission is to end slavery through economic empowerment and education, giving survivors and people at the highest risk the tools they need to build safe, independent, slavery-free lives. MBSN currently operates programs in six countries, with a concentration of programming in India and Nepal. We offer job training and fairly paid employment to survivors, and provide intensive business development support to our core programs and partners. We market and sell the survivors’ products in the US, and also assist them in finding other buyers.”

And here is another amazing thing about this organization: (from the website) “We currently sponsor 200 child survivors and children born into brothel communities to attend school for the first time. We lead volunteer trips to provide therapeutic arts and life skills workshops to survivors. We provide funding for medical and emergency needs, start-up capital for employment programs, and whenever possible, we fund projects to increase capacity at our partner shelters for rescuing and housing more survivors.”

I have bought the jewelry and notecards, and both are beautiful and make perfect presents for your loved ones. You can make someone happy and make a difference in a stranger’s life at the same time. Like I said, this organization is full of WICKED GOOD people.

If you are interested in viewing a catalog or finding out more, go to their website. You won’t be sorry! Thank you, WOW!, for allowing me to participate in this day. I recommend checking out Wicked Good if you haven’t yet at the link below. It is a book for adults (just thought I would mention that since I usually blog children’s books here.)

Also, if you purchase the book, you can enter into a line contest (writing one line) for a $100 pre-paid credit card. For more details on that, go here: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2011/09/roryism-quote-writing-contest-win-100.html