More than 90 guests attended an August fund-raising dinner in Tehachapi to raise awareness and funds to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of Thai girls.
The event raised more than $10,000 for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s Keep Girls Safe project in Thailand. Organizers announced that all proceeds will go to the project.
The money raised will provide educational support via school supplies and uniforms, and will provide family support for nearly 70 at-risk Thai girls who might otherwise be sold through deception into the sex industry.
In Thailand, vulnerable poverty-stricken parents, many from hill tribes, are tricked into selling their young daughters to “businessmen” promising to provide a better life with shelter and jobs. Giving the parents about $100 each, the men sell the girls to brothels where they are forced to work in unbearable, unsafe conditions.
“Most of the parents don’t understand what is happening,” said Greg Young, former ADRA Thailand country director and founder of ADRA’s Keep Girls Safe project. Young, who now works at ADRA International in Silver Spring, Maryland, spoke at the fund-raiser.
“When we educate communities as to the risks of what can happen to their children, they listen,” he explained. “Awareness is so important.”
Andrea Joham, who serves as an ADRA Ambassador in Tehachapi, organized the dinner, themed “Little Girls Are Blessings.”
“I'm thrilled about the money we’ve raised,” she said. “I still want to raise more; to reach the goal of $15,000. I really needed God’s help throughout this project. I wanted to make a difference.” Through the Keep Girls Safe project, a gift of $150 can prevent a Thai girl from being sold into forced prostitution by funding her education for one year and teaching her family about the dangers of sex slavery. Joham’s goal is to help 100 girls.
The event featured vocal and violin performances by a group of young local girls. Guests bid in a silent auction, which featured paintings, drawings and other donated items. Adventist churches in Hollywood, Lancaster and Tehachapi contributed financially, while local vendors donated the event’s food, dinnerware, flowers and décor to ensure that all funds raised would go to ADRA.
Adventist gospel singer Josiah Ruff performed at the event and called it “a real eye-opener. Something I will take away with me is awareness and a new found vigilance to help the cause of the less fortunate,” he said.
“I feel very blessed that people are willing to give,” said Joham. “People are generous. They just need to know what to do and how to make a difference.”
