I was 16 and driven
So I titled this blog: “I was 16 and driven” because I want this to inspire my current not as driven self.
This was me 14 and driven helping young women in north London. I think this was when I new I would always be someone who wanted the best for people especially those who were oppressed!
I remember this day clearly like it was yesterday because watching it shocked me to the core from that day onwards. I don’t know if this is still a show on tv if anyone my age or above will most likely be nodding their heads at this but there was a show on tv called NEWS ROUND it was for the teen’s and young people on CBBC it was a news show telling everyone about the news of the world. During that show they showed this video:
I was sitting there on my sofa at the age of 16 thinking this is not right something needs to be done. I had no fear and I began talking to anyone who would listen I wanted to do something about it. Talking to some friends and adults then lead to a group of us planning an event at a local community day loads of people turned up and took part in our activities and donated money yet still felt there’s was more that could be done. This began a continued passion in me to do something to bring justice. More picking up anything I could read about it the more and more I realised this was only the cusp of what I could do as a young person. I had to do more it wasn’t enough for me to wear a t-shirt or do a sponsored silence.
Writing a letter to my MP and telling him about my concerns as a 16-year-old. I became so obsessed with supporting and reading all about different surviour stories and wanting to go a volunteer for a charity over time as I got older I changed my tune because I understood that it was just about rescuing people it was about seeing them completely turn their life around including changing their mindset. Holistic becoming a different person not being trapped in the mindset that person had gained whilst in slavery.
In 2016 taking part in a race fund rasing. This included running the Taupo Marthon in New Zealand, to raise money to, Volunteer overseas and that happened in 2017 when I traveled to Asia. A journey, that invovelved Supporting individuals working with young women and children in situations of slavery. Particulary in a very touristy city where girls would work in brothels and dance bars to make ends meat because they we providing for there family and forced into that way of life. Being left with very little money to even support themselves. Also this included opportunity of interaction and conversation with people in those situations.
Along this Journey it gave me a fresh eye and a renewed understanding of what I could do, that being, it is now the reason I am involved in supporting and photographing for Blue Bear Coffee co.
“Blue Bear is committed to eradicating slavery from its supply chain, by specifically sourcing its coffee from independent farmers across the world.
We are diligent in ensuring our coffee is produced without anyone being exploited, paying our farmers well above the fair trade market rate.
At Blue Bear we believe in excellence and only stock coffee of the finest quality, exclusively selling Speciality Grade Arabica beans.
Blue Bear invites you to experience a diversity of delicious coffees from around the world, whilst engaging in the fight to end human trafficking.”
Just taking one step and time..
By doing what I can in who I am to bring Justice and Freedom to all.
