Water and justice
Water. It flows through the oceans, the rivers, the channels. It can move along its way peacefully, or sometimes it can overpower the land. It'll conquer what it can, whatever crosses its path. Here in the Netherlands, and in so many more countries, we fight to keep the water out, to keep it within its bounds, to make it move according to our wishes.
This approach makes sense for water. But when we use its symbolism to paint how people create bounds for other people, how they decide for other people, the story takes a more drastic turn.
When talking about slavery and human trafficking, we talk about people thinking they get to have power over another person, as if people were some natural resource that we get to tame, like water. By robbing people of their free choice, they're kept in bondage and made to please some self-proclaimed ruler.
My reason for pointing all this out here, is to bring IJM's work under your attention.
My business partners with IJM, International Justice Mission, to play my part in supporting the fight against slavery, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.
Why do I want to be IJM's business partner?
In an earlier post, I described some of the core values I strive towards with my business WaterHealthPlanet. Many of those values come down to freedom, a balanced life, wellbeing and caring for one another. These values that I consider fundamental are entirely lacking in the context of modern slavery.
That hits me hard. That complete injustice compels me to want to work towards a better big picture, much further than my own little bubble of wellbeing and my WaterHealthPlanet network, returning freedom and wellbeing to those further away. Caring for each other is not just a pretty saying, actual involvement and action can make it a beautiful reality.
IJM fights this fight on three fronts:
- Freeing people from those who think they have some sort of claim over them,
- Finding suitable ways to help these oppressed people reclaim their life by providing trauma care,
- Fighting the offenders, by aiding the government in catching them and improving legal systems.
Unmistakably indispensable work! Will you help fight the fight?
If you're interested to know more, I'd like to invite you to check out their website: https://www.ijm.org/
Corporate Partnerships Manager at Usher Group | Board Member Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce | Board Member of Bond University Women’s Network.
3moLord Mayor's Charitable Trust - incredible work done by Manuela Whitford Tracey Wickham and the Friends With Dignity Ltd team 🫶