Child protection
Lifting children
out of darkness
We shine light into some of the most dangerous and remote areas of the world. Help us rescue children from cycles of violence and human trafficking, educate and mentor them, and clear the way for these children to become the next leaders and peacemakers in their communities.
Help us return their childhoods
Around the world, children as young as eight are disappearing. Drug cartels, government forces, rebel opposition groups, and guerrilla armies are taking them from their families, hiding them in jungles and cities, and forcing them into physical labor, war, and sexual exploitation.
Together we can protect and empower children through prevention, education, and mentoring.
Rescue
Armed with kindness and a redemptive spirit, we forge relationships with insurgent generals and cartel leaders. Convincing them how much more children can contribute to the community if they have an education, we negotiate for their release from the front lines into the safety of our educational system.
Shelter Homes
While living with parents or other relatives is ideal, often there isn’t a safe family for rescued children to return to. In other situations, children are on an army register and risk being re-conscripted if they return home. In such cases, we assist them in settling into a shelter home or a safe space. Whenever possible, we strive to keep children close to their families or communities. In extreme situational cases, adoption or foster care may be considered as an option. Each program is tailored to address the specific needs of the area, but our preference is to ensure that children remain connected to their culture and communities, as this offers the most transformative path.
Community Programs
Communities are a lifeline for children, and families are the bedrock of these communities. At the heart of our work in communities is our Strengthening of Families Program. Through a strong family unit, children have the opportunity to develop into educated adults who become trusted peacemakers and local entrepreneurs, ensuring the long-term well-being of the community. A healthy, close-knit community acts as a safety net for children, preventing abuse and human trafficking. When gardens are abundant, children eat. When our Love Your Enemy program is taught, violence decreases. When a church is established, children discover the joys of worship and prayer.
Making an Impact
200+
college graduates from Mexican programs
450+
child program graduates in Upper Mekong region
1,700+
children in direct outreach programs
150+
graduates now teachers, government leaders, social workers, health professionals and church workers
Project AK-47
We deliver child soldiers from forced violence, going beyond extraction to empowerment, working to prevent children from being conscripted in the first place.
Henda’s Story
When 11-year-old Henda graduated from the sixth grade, her teachers, representing government interests, offered a “promising” army program to study medicine and electronics. With dreams of rescuing her family from poverty, she signed up, but was instead forcibly recruited into a dance troupe owned by the local military base. She spent the next four years as a slave.
Children Protection Stories
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The First Footage of Child Soldiers I Ever Saw
Years ago, I gave my friend Sam a video camera and asked him to find us the darkest place we could serve. The footage he came back with broke me.
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Children At Risk
Throughout the Bible, we see stories of children enduring remarkable hardship. We also see the emphasis Jesus placed on the importance of children in his teachings. One theme that is present in many of these stories is that the children are often NOT removed from their location.
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I am afraid to be a soldier
“Whenever people talk about guns, soldiers, or the war, I feel afraid…”
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In my opinion, nobody wants to be a soldier, but they should go to the army because of the government’s pressure. In the future, there won’t be a place for war because the world tends to develop.