2018 Annual Report
people freed in 2018
students in education
families supported into work in 2018
2018 Key Info
Redemption
People set free: 277 people / 59 families (increase of 79% on 2017)
Average cost per person: $193 USD
Average time enslaved: 11 years, 1 months
Total spent: $53,430 USD
Education
New schools started: 0
Total schools operating: 5
Total students: 185
Total teachers: 8
Total Education spending: $3051 USD
Aid, Community Development, Refugee Work
Total Aid spending: $1011 USD
Total Community Development: $849 USD
Total Refugee Support: $550 USD
Team
The main focus of this year was on creating a platform for future growth. We extended our team from Emmanuel & Dilbar, to a total of 8 core staff and 12 teachers. Introducing our core team:
Back row: Kashif Gill, Kashif,
Front row: Dilbar, Shahid, Naomi, Emmanuel (Project leaders), Shakeel, and Arif
Redemption
In 2018, we were rapt to set free 155 people in 31 families at a cost of $53,430. The average cost per person was $193USD, and the average time spent in slavery was 11 years, 1 months. 14 families had spent over 20 years in slavery, and two families had been enslaved for 40 years at the kilns. All these families were placed in work.
This year saw significant growth in our impact – 79% above 2017. We were incredible blessed by both our NZ and our US donors who made this possible.
2018 saw many different families, most with similar stories. Like most others, the Amin family was forced into bonded-labor slavery through a medical emergency. Their children were denied an education and the whole family was subject to exploitation and abuse at the kilns. Thanks to our donors, we were able to pay the Amin family’s debt, and give them a grant to start a business as a fruit seller. The transformation was undeniable. The whole family were given the gift of life, security, and joy!
Education
In 2018, we maintained our current school network and established plans for growing our schools in 2019. Our student numbers grew slightly to 185 students. We spent $3051 on the schools, with most of our teachers paid on a part-time arrangement, but putting in many voluntary hours. At the end of the year, the teachers declined a Christmas bonus gift, preferring instead to direct the money into new bags, books, and warm clothes for the children. We are so blessed by the quality and heart of our teachers, and hope to increase their funding in the future. The children are of course doing well, learning, growing and finding joy despite the harsh conditions of the kilns. A special thank you to our monthly sponsors who make this possible.
Refugee Work
In 2018, we continued to support a Pakistani refugee community of 15 families in Thailand. Our budget was limited, spending only $550USD over the year. We appreciate the incredibly difficult situation they are in, and hope to increase our support in 2019.
Aid Work
In 2018, we continued to help people in acute need, spending $1011USD on families in need, especially the sick and the widows. This spending was down on 2017, in part because a lot of the aid was actually given from the personal funds of our team. We are looking to improve our investment in family and community aid in 2019.
Final Thanks
I have to say, 2018 has been a challenging year. We have changed over the entire back-end infrastructure for freeslaves.org and completely overhauled our digital processes. There have been many long days and late nights, but we can see that we now have a platform for significant growth in 2019 and beyond.
Every bit of support has provided a huge encouragement, so I want to say THANK YOU to all our supporters in 2018. It is a great honor to be able to be a channel for your love to these beautiful, talented, valuable, yet enslaved people. It is a joy beyond words to be a part of the work of redemption. For all our supporters, both past, present and future, I would like to pray a blessing:
May God bless you with great faith, deep love, and joy beyond measure. May your kindness resonate through the future generations of the people you have freed. May their joy be your joy and their success be your success. May you know the deep fulfillment of love, and the fruit of your generosity. May you and your families be blessed beyond words, and continue to live in your design of love, generosity, and joy. May this all be to delight of our great God of Love.
With all love in Christ,
Geoff Woodcock
NZ Freeslaves.org Project Director
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