NOV 22, 2023

Our team visiting women who are waiting to escape the brothel in our Founder Jenny’s neighborhood.

Dear Friends of Starfish Project,

It is hard to believe that this time last year, our entire team in Asia was locked in our homes and neighborhoods due to strict city-wide lockdowns. It was undoubtedly the most difficult 3 years in our 17-year history. When things finally opened up at the beginning of the year, we knew the women in our program and our staff needed time to heal. For women escaping human trafficking and exploitation, being isolated and physically locked in their homes for months at a time was certainly retraumatizing. The season also significantly impacted our business, and we started this year needing to make many hard decisions. But over the last six months, our team has done an incredible job of rebuilding and healing.

Our team is excited to open our doors to new women who are ready to escape the brothels. Over the three years of extreme Covid lockdowns here, we helped more women escape the brothels than at any time in our history. However, we currently have a waiting list of more than ten women who are ready to find freedom at Starfish Project, but right now we don't have the financial resources needed to accept them into our program. This last week, when our outreach team and I visited the brothels, four women that we have spent several years building relationships with shared that they are ready to escape and join us at Starfish Project. We have been waiting years to hear this, but we cannot accept them yet. One of my favorite parts of my job is saying "yes" to a woman who needs our help. One of the most heartbreaking parts is saying "wait" to a woman who is ready to find freedom. We need your help to end this waiting list and say “yes” to these women!

During this crucial holiday season, when you gift Starfish Project jewelry to all of your loved ones, you help a woman escape the brothel and give her a job with dignity. When you give generously to Starfish Project, you provide her with the holistic care that she and her children need to stay out of the brothels and start a new life of freedom: a safe home, counseling, healthcare, and education. It costs 1000 dollars a month to provide all of the holistic care needs for a woman escaping the brothels.

Give now to help a woman find freedom!  

Thank you so much for your support of the women and children of Starfish Project!

With much gratitude,

Jenny McGee

Founder and Director of Starfish Project