The Exodus Road

18,000 kids are reported missing in Brazil every year. Will you help bring them home? 1-year-old Sofia was one of the 18,000 kids reported missing every year in Brazil, but now she is back home in her mother’s arms. In December of 2023, Sofia’s estranged father abducted her from her mom, taking the young girl north as he traveled across multiple country borders and into dangerous jungles. Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants from South American countries embark on perilous journeys, often traveling northward through the Darién Gap – a mountainous jungle region spanning the border of Colombia and Panama. His reason for abducting Sofia for the journey may never be known – the father vanished in the jungle, leaving Sofia, an infant, stranded and alone. Officials suspect he died in the harsh terrain. It was there in the jungle where another group of migrant travelers discovered vulnerable Sofia and surrendered her to a Panamanian shelter, where officials began the complicated process of determining where she was from, how she ended up in Panama, and most importantly, who might be looking for her. That is where The Exodus Road was invited to intervene. Working with officials in Brazil, The Exodus Road was asked to help fund the reunification of Sofia with her mother, Veronica, back home in Brazil. Veronica had spent more than six months desperately searching and hoping that her daughter would be returned safely. We were eager to assist, and in May of 2024, our team waited with the expectant mother outside security at the airport in São Paulo. Finally, the moment came when a lawyer walked off the jet bridge and through airport doors, carrying Sofia. Veronica wrapped her daughter in her arms. Sofia was finally home. More than 18,000 children like Sofia are reported missing each year in Brazil. Sofia is home, but there are so many kids like her still lost — kids being exploited or trafficked. Will you help us reunite families and combat human trafficking in Brazil? Give now: theexodusroad.com/sofia

“No one knows how this baby survived. It's a miracle. Sofia is a miracle.” That’s what The Exodus Road’s Rebeca Canal shared with Brazilian news outlet Domingo Espetacular after witnessing 1-year-old Sofia restored to her mother. Sofia had been abducted and taken deep into a dangerous rainforest. “Sofia was found in the Darién jungle, abandoned, with only a suitcase,” Rebeca explains. “She was found by a Haitian man who left her at immigration.” At The Exodus Road, we’re committed to reuniting missing kids with their parents. We stepped in to facilitate the complicated process of bringing Sofia home, into the waiting arms of her mother Veronica. This miracle baby is safe. But we know that other kids are still out there alone — whether through abduction like Sofia, or through human trafficking. We want to bring them home. Will you join us? https://xdsrd.com/4cZkf9Q

“I'm too emotional, seriously. I can't even believe she's coming back.” That’s what Veronica said the night before reuniting with her baby daughter, Sofia, who had been abducted six months earlier. Veronica was estranged from her baby’s father, who had abandoned the young mother when Sofia was an infant. Suddenly, he reentered their lives, asking to meet his now 1-year-old daughter. “I thought it was normal,” Veronica says. “Sofia is a child who doesn't cry, doesn't deny anyone. She likes everyone.” Unfortunately, the father’s interest in his daughter had a sinister undertone. The man abducted Sofia from her mother and fled north — into the deep rainforest region of the Darién Gap. That’s the last anyone heard from him. Law enforcement believes he died on his journey, leaving Sofia abandoned and alone. But Veronica had never stopped looking for her daughter, heartbroken by her absence. In partnership with a shelter in Paraguay and the government of Brazil, The Exodus Road was able to facilitate the necessary logistics and legal support to bring Sofia safely back into Veronica’s arms. Veronica isn’t the only mother in Brazil who has endured the horror of having their child go missing. Through various kinds of exploitation, 60 kids are going missing each day. You can be part of bringing them home. Will you take that step? Give now: https://xdsrd.com/4cZkf9Q

Recently, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy suggested that social media should have a formal warning label to "regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe." He's right: online exploitation and cyberbullying are consistently getting worse. In light of those real harms, it might be easy to wonder if social media is worth saving at all. But we have to look at the whole picture, with all its nuance. Our team at Influenced is about creating a movement of people who celebrate the value of creating a safer online, not eradicating online use. We believe social media can be paramount to healthy coming-of-age in our current millennia.  Keep reading for more on how to use social media as one part of a healthy, connected life:

18,000 kids go missing in Brazil each year, which is why our training and technology support for our law enforcement partners is so vital. However, not every child’s case is the same. Why do kids go missing? Where are they ending up? And what can we do about it? The reasons vary, but here are a few situations witnessed by our law enforcement partners in Brazil: 1. Abduction. 1-year-old Sofia was taken from her mother by her estranged father, who fled north with her. He was most likely headed towards the U.S. border in search of a new life, but he exploited and kidnapped Sofia in the process. Fortunately, she’s now home with her mother. You can see the moment when Sofia was reunited with her mother here: theexodusroad.com/sofia 2. Coercion. Alana (pseudonym) was a teenage girl who struggled with her mental health and feelings of worthlessness. A charismatic man posed as her boyfriend, manipulating her away from home and then trapping her in a dilapidated house. Our training equipped law enforcement to find her and bring her home. 3. Trafficking. For 15-year-old Luna (pseudonym), it started the way it does for so many teenagers: the promise of a better job and a brighter life. Instead, she was kidnapped and sold for sex. We supported the investigation that led to freedom for Anna— and the arrest of her exploiters. We know that no matter what circumstances a kid faces, they deserve to be safely reunited with their families. That’s why training and technology are so crucial. Will you help us ensure that they can bring more kids like Sofia, Alana, and Luna home? Give now:

Recently, three survivors of trafficking graduated from Freedom Home (our aftercare home in Thailand) and returned to independently living in their communities. We continue to check in with survivors for a minimum of two years after they leave our housing, supporting as needed and celebrating their continued strides toward freedom. Here’s what they’re up to (pseudonyms used for privacy): • Ari (age 20) has opened a restaurant in her hometown, where she lives with her father. • Mai (age 18) has started a successful cleaning business with her boyfriend. They answer cleaning service calls throughout the area surrounding her hometown. • Rada (age 20) is working as a mechanic. She’s also determinedly finishing her education while living with a roommate. We are so honored to be a part of the restoration process for these incredible young women! As a supporter of The Exodus Road, you’re a part of their recovery too. Celebrate them with us!

The presence of exploitation on social media is undeniable. What does human trafficking on social media actually look like, and what can we do about it? Traffickers often recruit through social media, exploiting the vulnerabilities that are clear through a user’s posts. They might look for someone who seems to need: • Financial stability or employment • Romantic partnership • Love and affirmation • Housing • Physical safety (from domestic abuse, local unrest, or war) After someone is recruited, a trafficker might also use social media as a tool for control. But on the flip side, sometimes social media plays a role in a survivor’s escape — and in allowing them to tell their story. Learn more about the intersection of trafficking and social media:

They came from different places neighboring the country of India. Each ended up trapped within the same two hotels deep in an Indian red-light district. Those buildings held terrible abuse for these women. They had all been led there by their trust in legitimate, reputable work. Instead, they were forced to offer sexual services to customers. They did not see the earnings from the unending stream of buyers.  The Exodus Road’s team in India heard rumors about the exploitation and collected all the details that our law enforcement partners needed to act.  Fortunately, years of collaboration have built a strong partnership with police in the area. Law enforcement raided both hotel-based brothels simultaneously, finding about a dozen women. A government social worker cared for the survivors, soothing their fears as they were transported to a safe house. 15 traffickers from the network that had been exploiting these women were arrested. They’re all facing serious fines and 8-10 years in prison. This ring is dismantled, and their cycles of exploitation are ended. One investigator on The Exodus Road’s India team said this, reflecting on the role of your partnership with us in the case’s success:  “Collaboration ensures that information flows smoothly, resources are pooled efficiently, and actions are coordinated effectively. It fosters a unified front against such heinous crimes. The commitment to continuous collaboration and close cooperation with law enforcement is commendable and essential in the fight against human trafficking.” Thank you!

NEWS: In 2023, The Exodus Road shattered our impact records in nearly every program area! We get excited each time a record is broken because of what the numbers mean: more men, women, and children freed from exploitation. More law enforcement and community members trained to prevent trafficking. More survivors cared for as they courageously walk into freedom. In 2023, we saw: • 513 survivors freed • 230 perpetrators arrested • 28,662 officers and citizens educated in prevention • 284 survivors served with aftercare If you supported or advocated for The Exodus Road in any way last year, you were a part of changing these lives. Our collective impact in 2023 was astounding, and our global teams are so grateful that you made it possible. You continue to show up to this fight with compassion and tenacity, and you will be the reason we can keep adapting to the challenges facing us as we continue disrupting the darkness of modern-day slavery in 2024 and beyond! Read our full 2023 impact report:

Removing someone from human trafficking is so much more than the moment when they are physically taken from their trafficker’s reach. It’s an ongoing process of untangling the multi-faceted trauma of being trafficked. That’s why we have developed trauma-informed indicators to guide our process of reintegrating adult women survivors of trafficking into their communities when they leave Freedom Home (our aftercare center in Thailand). To make sure that we have provided the best support possible before a female survivor leaves Freedom Home, our social workers walk with her to meet goals in each of these areas: - Self-sufficiency - Economic independence - Budgeting ability - Housing security - Mental and emotional stability - Personal safety - Physical health - Relational support system Every survivor who meets her goals and leaves Freedom Home knows that she’s not heading into her new season of life alone. Our team continues to follow up on her needs for a minimum of two years, continuing to provide creative, individualized support as new needs arise. We’ve seen this comprehensive model work in the lives of survivors who have reintegrated after leaving Freedom Home. These bold young women know that they can trust our community’s care to hold them through the long road to true restoration. This year so far, we’ve reintegrated 3 young women, and we’re watching them thrive!