Beyond the Red Zone
Think of your favorite space. Maybe it’s home or a local coffee shop or a friend’s living room. Maybe it was your university’s library or a neighborhood park or the beach. Wherever it is, I imagine it’s your favorite for a number of reasons. Some of those reasons may include that it feels safe; you know you’re welcome and don’t have to pretend; it inspires or sparks creative brainstorming; or maybe it’s just somewhere else. Having a space like that might feel commonplace for some of you, while for others it may feel like a luxury.
For the women in the FTG program in San José, we need your help to create this type of space. Since we first began our program in Costa Rica, our office space has been in the center of the Red Zone, a place known for drugs, street-based prostitution, violence, and despair. In the beginning, it was a blessing to have that proximity to the place where current and future clients went about their everyday lives - it helped build trust.
And now, nearly 6 years on, we’re hearing new things. Things like “I saw my old handler when I was walking here today” and “I passed a couple of the old clients/johns” and, sadly, “I can’t come back here. I’m afraid I’ll relapse if I go back to that neighborhood.”
This area no longer serves the women well, women who have taken so many steps to consciously walk away from the Red Zone only to have to return to access our services. We always try hold things loosely so when there is a shift, we can adapt.
We have the opportunity to co-rent a space with two other anti-trafficking organizations whom we have partnered with in the past. This office space will be out of the Red Zone but still easily accessible for those who need to be able to walk there. We envision a place that is comforting, welcoming, beautiful, and inspiring. A place where children can play while their mothers make plans to secure safe housing. A space where survivors of exploitation can sip a hot cup of coffee while discussing microfinancing a future business endeavor. A room where laughter and tears are both welcome, memories of the past and dreams about the future are both honored, where years later, a woman can recall this place as being significant in her journey towards true freedom.
We are budgeting $12,000 for a year in such a space. This means, if you donate $30, you are securing another day of an inviting, safe place for dozens of women and their children to move beyond survivor and begin thriving.
Will you help us?