Savethem - Our story

Our work began by partnering with orphanages and education centers across several communities. Our mission was simple: help children in any way we could, through education, support, and resources that would give them a better future.

In 2014, while working in the town of Mamelodi, South Africa, something happened that changed the course of our mission. Members of the community approached us to thank us for helping their children and supporting their education. But during that conversation, they shared something that stopped us in our tracks:

“We have a bigger problem. Our children are disappearing. We can’t stop it, and we need your help.”

They explained that in some weeks five to seven children were disappearing from their streets. When we asked why the situation had not been addressed by local authorities, the community told us something deeply troubling: they believed police had been compromised by organized criminal syndicates, leaving them with nowhere to turn.

We quickly realized this was not an isolated problem; it was part of a much larger system, involving organized trafficking networks operating across regions. So we began investigating.

Our team launched a due-diligence effort to understand the scope of human trafficking in South Africa and how victims were being supported. What we discovered was alarming: the existing systems designed to help victims were not equipped to address the long-term trauma and recovery required after trafficking.

In discussions with international bodies, including representatives connected with the United Nations, we learned that much of the victim-support legislation for human trafficking had been modeled after domestic violence frameworks. While both issues are critical, trafficking victims often require significantly longer recovery and protection support. At the time, support programs often provided only 90 days of care. We advocated for extended recovery programs and pushed for 2–5 years of support services for trafficking survivors. Ultimately, the legislation was expanded to allow two years of structured support, which represented a significant step forward in survivor care.

Through this work, we also recognized another urgent need in South Africa: safe housing for survivors. To properly support victims, we needed a secure environment where they could begin rebuilding their lives.

Within months, we rebuilt an abandoned farmhouse and converted it into our first safe house, which we called the ICU (Immediate Care Unit). The goal was to create a place where survivors could receive rapid response care, including physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual support, while also preparing them for long-term recovery. Even before the facility officially opened, we began receiving survivors. Within weeks we went from one victim to nineteen residents, while simultaneously managing more than seventy active cases. We began working with trusted law enforcement partners and other anti-trafficking organizations to help survivors build evidence, provide testimony, and pursue justice against traffickers.

The work has not been easy. Our efforts have faced resistance, operational challenges, and even security risks. Safe houses have occasionally been compromised, and the fight against trafficking continues to be complex and dangerous. But through every challenge, our mission has remained clear: to protect children, restore survivors, and stand against human trafficking.

At the center of our work is a commitment to providing a place of safety, dignity, faith, and hope for those who arrive traumatized and in need of healing.