Sarah Symons shares the moment when upon seeing the documentary, “The Day My Dad Died,” her life changed dramatically. She says, “When I saw the courage of the survivors who were rescuing others in an underground railroad and people all over the world who were putting their lives on the line to end slavery and pull people out of slavery, I knew that I needed to get on board and become an abolitionist and do everything I could to help end this crisis and bring enslaved people to permanent freedom.

She, not only quit her job to start The Emancipation Network (TEN), but she has enrolled many others, including her husband and children, in this most important work. TEN focuses on economic empowerment and education, teaching rescued slaves how to create products for western markets and be independent. Beginning in the shelters where rescued slaves are brought, they incorporate indigenous traditions into crafts and engender hope for the future.

Most of the rescued slaves are girls between the ages of 9 and 20, who are still traumatized when the work begins, suffering a great deal of fear, anger, and hopelessness. Within a few months the transformations are obvious as laughter, creativity, and a passion to help others becomes the new energy in the shelter.

Oneness plays an important part of every aspect of Sarah’s life. She totally believes that, “When one person is enslaved, no one is free.” The consciousness of oneness lives in her collaboration with other organizations that are doing similar work. She talks about Free the Slaves, an organization that one might think of as a competitor. “No way,” Sarah says as she glowingly talks about how much she admires Free the Slaves and why and how they, and other similar organizations must work collaboratively to end the inhuman practice of slavery.

Sarah Symons is the co-founder and Executive Director of The Emancipation Network. TEN sells the handicrafts online, and at Awareness Parties across the US, raising awareness about human trafficking and offering economic empowerment and hope for survivors.

TEN partner’s with 18 anti-trafficking shelters in 9 countries around the world. You can find out more about this incredible project at, MadeBySurvivors.com.