Have you ever heard the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?" That's something my mom used to tell me all the time growing up, and boy, does it ring true. Thinking ahead, working through potential problems, and being careful can prevent so much pain and frustration in the long run, and this is something that those fighting human trafficking take very seriously. While rescuing people who are already in dangerous situations is vital, prevention is equally so. Destiny Rescue, an international anti-trafficking organization, recognizes this importance and has made it a central part of their work. In late 2019, Destiny Rescue agents met a young girl named Soneeya at the border of Nepal and a neighboring country and began to ask her some questions regarding her travel plans.

Soneeya explained that she had been promised a job in a neighboring country by a man she and her father had met on a bus. The man, who had introduced himself as Bastal, seemed to be a businessman with "insight and connections," and he crafted quite a compelling argument as to why he was trustworthy. He promised that he could get her a good job as a housekeeper, help her get a work visa, and even transport her to her new job. All she had to do was get a passport and wait for his instructions, which included handing that passport over to a woman she'd never met to "get the necessary papers," as well as meeting an unknown contact at the border to pick her up. Thankfully, Destiny Rescue agents were able to intercept Soneeya before the contact got to her, and she was rescued from a life of slavery. Soneeya is now safe with her family and a member of the Nepalese Police Department! To read all of Soneeya's story, visit the link below.

https://www.destinyrescue.org/us/blog/soneeyas-story/