Last November, I travelled to Nepal for 2 weeks to work with Code Red Films on a documentary about the sexual exploitation of Nepali girls, particularly those of the lowest castes – the Untouchables. The irony in that was not missed. Among the Untouchable caste are the Badi people – the lowest of the low from the culture’s perspective. In the last 60 years many members of this people group have had to turn to prostitution to survive. Because of this, the word Badi has become synonymous with prostitute and even those who have not worked as prostitutes are discriminated against, face sexual harassment & exploitation, and are usually trapped in extreme poverty.
We travelled around Kathmandu and Western Nepal, interviewing survivors and activists, visiting villages and ministries, and learning as much as we could about what is happening in Nepal. The team also went to India in February to continue researching and documenting the sex trafficking of lower caste girls. The situation in the brothels of Mumbai and Delhi is abhorrent – truly worse than even your nightmares. So many girls are held captive, tortured and raped repeatedly for someone else’s satisfaction and yet another’s profit. And there are THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of these girls, with more being kidnapped and brought to India each day.
What’s Next?
Next week, I am returning to Nepal, and also travelling to Delhi, to continue working on this project. I am so looking forward to seeing the rest of the team, reconnecting with some of the girls we met last time, and meeting many new people and hearing their stories! This will likely be our last trip before the final editing commences, as we hope to release the film this Fall. There is so much work to be done, but God is bringing everyone together and opening doors already and I believe we’ll capture everything we need!
How can you help?
I need to raise $2000 – $5000 to continue my work on the film. My expenses will include visas, local travel costs, hotel, meals, film & processing, equipment rental/purchase, image post-production, and loss of income. Your financial support would be such a blessing! Anything you can contribute will help! Please visit my fundraising page to donate!
You can also help by donating some things I’ll need for my trip! I’m looking for the following to rent, borrow, or keep for this and future projects. Let me know if you’ve got access and are willing to help!
- Nikon D4 – Update: Discounted rental for 3 full weeks provided by our friends at LensProToGo!!!
- Mamiya 7ii (rental for 3 full weeks)
- A set of about 300-500 4×6 prints (gifts for the girls we met last time – most of these kids don’t have photographs of themselves, their friends or family). Update: Discounted prints provided by our friends at ProDPI!
- A large sturdy suitcase or duffle bag – good for travelling
- An iPad for securing model releases easily & without paperwork. Update: iPad provided by a friend!
- Tips & advice on how to stay cool in Delhi’s 105+ degree heat!!!
You can also support the film by spreading the word and encouraging your friends to support my trip! Go to my fundraising page to become a Supporter (no donation necessary) and share the link on facebook, twitter, google+, email, wherever! Spreading the word will not only build support for my trip, for this film – but for these girls as well! As more people become educated about this issue, the more people will get involved, and the more likely CHANGE will come!!
More than anything, please pray for our team, the film, and especially for the women and girls who’s stories we hope to tell. Here are some ways you can pray for us:
- Pray for the safety of our team as we travel, especially during our time in India, and for the week I will be in Kathmandu with only one other woman from the team.
- Pray for unity, vision, and opportunity. Pray that God would open doors, and that we would meet many people who would be willing to share their stories with us.
- Pray for the thousands and thousands of young Nepali girls and women who are enslaved in a life of prositution and torture. Pray for the end of slavery in our time.
- Pray for the young women who have been rescued out of their enslavement – for healing and restoration, and for their future as they learn to live again.
Thank you!
If you have any questions about the project, or my work, or about sex trafficking, or anything – please let me know! Thank you so much for your support! I am so blessed to be able to be a part of this project – and I literally could not do it without all of you and your support!! THANK YOU!
If you’d like more information about the trip – visit my fundraising page or contact me directly!
If you’d like to see more of my images from our first trip to Nepal, visit our album on Facebook. Please note that due to the subject matter of our work, I have tried my best not to include images of girls and women that I know have been exploited, unless they have given us permission. Many of the girls we met have been recused from the RISK of exploitation and those are many of the faces you see here.
