2010 State Department Trafficking in Persons Report
Guatemala Disaster Relief
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The Institute for Trafficked, Exploited & Missing Persons is a "program without borders" of the non-denominational international charity, The GOD'S CHILD Project. To learn more about this humanitarian effort, Click Here Now.
Visit the Public Presentations page to learn more about scheduling a professional ITEMP speaker to come talk to your school, community or church group about the horrors of poverty, human trafficking, and contemporary slavery. Or contact us at 701-255-7956 or Director@ITEMP.org
Photos by Taylor Aubin
Click Here Now to learn about "The Dream Maker"; author Monica Hannan's riveting biography of ITEMP founder Patrick Atkinson, and his life, work, and battles against war, prostitution, and poverty to set the children free.
Click Here Now to learn more about the ITEMP-organized and administered 1st Guatemalan Congress on Trafficked Persons.
"We believe that every person has the right to live their life free from slavery, coercion, and fear. Quite simply, this is why we do what we do."
ITEMP Founder and International Executive Director Patrick Atkinson
US Embassy Visits Guatemalan Facilities
Jennifer Lawson, Political Officer with the United States Embassy in Guatemala, celebrated her birthday with ITEMP and The GOD'S CHILD Project on June 16. She toured The Dreamer Center, Casa Jackson, and Scheel Center, where the students sang her happy birthday and surprised her with a cake. Lawson, recently appointed to her new position, had never visited The GOD'S CHILD Project and said she was very impressed with all of our services, facilities, and staff members. ITEMP and The GOD'S CHILD Project look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the US Embassy.
NDSU Service Team Builds 3 Homes for ITEMP Families
Leaving Guatemala mere hours before the international airport shut down in response to a violent eruption of Volcano Pacaya, a group of sociology students from North Dakota State University (NDSU) spent nine days building three houses in partnership with ITEMP.
Angela Mathers, leader of the service team from Fargo, ND, raised over $6500 running a marathon before coming to Antigua. This money was used to purchase plots of land for three families in ITEMP's rehabilitation program. The service team built their signature blue homes on the land, hauling hundreds of pounds of materials on their backs up a large, steep hill to the construction site.
"These three houses represent the end of a very long road to save three families from modern-day slavery. They are a symbol of hope for the future, a symbol of security for the children, and a symbol of commitment from ITEMP to continue supporting the families as they break the chains of poverty," ITEMP Director of Operations Charlie Moore said.
The three families receive a wide range of support and services through ITEMP's partnership with the United States Department of State. The completion of the homes, thanks to Angela Mathers and the entire NDSU service team, is another step toward creating a sustainable program that will continue even after the current partnership between ITEMP and US Department of State ends.
ITEMP Responds to Disaster
ITEMP
personnel are currently taking part in the disaster relief efforts in
Guatemala. On Saturday, May 29, torrential downpours from Tropical Storm Agatha
caused severe flooding and mudslides in Cuidad Vieja, Guatemala. Scores of
people were buried in the mudslides, and hundreds more were displaced.
On
Saturday, May 29, ITEMP personnel were on site, helping to relocate individuals most affected
by the disaster. 15 orphans were rescued from their quickly flooding orphanage,
and taken to a safer shelter. Other families were removed from the danger area,
and provided with emergency relief supplies.
At
the moment, ITEMP personnel are assisting local emergency workers in locating
lost individuals, as well as helping to recover missing bodies. ITEMP personnel
are also continuing to providing emergency relief aid to the affected families.
Please
help ITEMP to save more lives, and reconnect more families. Please donate now!
Photo by Taylor Aubin
Things You Can Do RIGHT NOW On This Web Site:
Check out ITEMP's new Basics Facts Page and our new 'Human Trafficking and Contemporary Slavery Sheet Basic Facts Sheet' that you can download and use with your school, community, or church group.
Browse through ITEMP's New Photo Gallery.
Decide that you are going to be part of the solution to this worldwide problem.
Contact us and come volunteer. ITEMP through a worldwide network of individual and community-based volunteers. You can become directly involved, too.
Please come back frequently. This web site is always under development.
