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I am Marga Fripp, activist, artist and therapist, and I am writing this letter with Fainess Lipenga, my activist sister and Malawian American survivor advocate against labor trafficking. Several other advocates are adding their support to this campaign and their names are included in this letter.
We urgently need to raise $4,000 to help Saiwala, a woman experiencing labor trafficking from Malawi to another country return home safely to her 5-year-old son. *Alias used for protection.
Saiwala reached out to Fainess asking for assistance. She was hoping that a sister survivor from Malawi might have better options to help her out. Saiwala is experiencing domestic servitude with a debt bond placed upon her.
She works long hours every day cooking, washing, ironing and scrubbing floors while also being a nanny to 6 young children in the household. She is paid half of the going rate for such labor with no time off, experiencing many forms of abuse.
Saiwala is one of the many women experiencing forced labor with harsh working conditions, treated as commodities, subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse and unable to leave their job or the country.
Saiwala is a single mother who was lured with a fraudulent promise of a well-paid job and a hope for a better life for herself and her child. Upon arrival, her passport was seized. Her sponsor’s house is full of cameras. She has a contract of domestic servitude for 24 months and so far, she worked for 11 months.
In order to leave the country, she has to pay the sponsor the release fee for the other 13 months she has agreed to work for. Additionally, she has to pay for the airfare ticket to return to her country.
We urgently need your help with a donation to raise $4,00 and pay these fees for Saiwala and help her return home. No donation is too small, and any contribution is much needed and greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your generous donation and support. Together we stand against Human Trafficking and do all in our power to help Saiwala return home to her child.
In Solidarity,
Marga & Fainess
Jesse Fripp
Arthur Fripp
Nat Paul
Mary Louise Marino
Geanina Fripp Emerson
Kori Johnson
Amiel Emerson
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