Unity in Purpose: Forging Collaborative Paths in the Nonprofit Sector
The early days of Free The Girls were a mix of excitement and challenges, but one aspect took us by surprise, and not in a good way: the competitive nature of the nonprofit sector. We understood the scarcity of resources and the constant struggle for funding, but we initially assumed we were all united by a common purpose. It was disheartening to realize this wasn't always the case.
As an organization, we made a firm commitment to foster collaboration whenever possible. The reflexive questions when someone expresses a desire to start a new nonprofit are, "Are you certain someone isn't already addressing that issue? Most likely, they are. How can you contribute rather than compete?" We believe working together for a common cause is far more effective than duplicating efforts and that it’s not about competition, but connection and partnership.
So we continually ask ourselves, ”Where can we contribute?” While many nonprofits strive to innovate and expand their services, securing funding often proves to be the biggest obstacle. Pooling resources for the greater good just makes good business sense.
Fortunately, we have aligned ourselves with like-minded organizations and individuals who share our vision.
Expanding our integrative services is done through collaboration. Over the past decade, we've closely worked with our partners on the ground, listened to the survivors we all serve, and identified areas where we could complement our trusted partners and bridge gaps in funding and services. We asked, “How can we enhance your ability to serve survivors more effectively and meaningfully? Where can we create maximum impact?”
One remarkable partnership we forged was with Mission To El Salvador (MTES), which brought Free The Girls to El Salvador to provide job opportunities for survivors of sex trafficking in the city of San Salvador. The Executive Director of MTES, Danielle Snyder, aptly explained, “Free The Girls has provided a valuable missing piece to the puzzle of helping survivors of sex trafficking. Rescuing is done by law enforcement, and counseling is done by psychologists and social workers, but then what?” (read more here)
The "what" is where Free The Girls steps in to offer a crucial transitional step that helps women avoid returning to the streets of San Salvador. MTES tirelessly provides resources to the San Salvadoran community. Through our partnership, we help trafficking survivors establish their own businesses. As we continue to listen to the needs of our valued partners at MTES and the women in the program, the scope of our assistance keeps expanding. What began as an economic empowerment program now encompasses aspects like education reimbursement, matching grants, and women's health support.
In case you missed our "Women Warriors" video release, it illustrates our enduring partnership with Mission to El Salvador and how our programs work in synergy to provide holistic support to survivors. To learn more about the incredible work MTES is doing within their community in El Salvador, please visit their website at missiontoelsalvador.com.
