Project Futures

In mid-February I was fortunate enough to participate in the JENESYS Future Business Counterparts program which took place in Tokyo, Japan from 15th-23rd of February 2012. This program was for young professionals from Australia who are strongly interested in strengthening economic relations with Japan. The program brought together 45 Australians from such sectors as law, finance, resources, journalism and government.

The trip included visiting the Australian embassy in Tokyo, briefings by Government officials and  experiences such as visiting Nippon Steel in Kimitsu), the historical city of Sendai and partaking in cultural experiences such as the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The highlight of the trip, however, was our visit to the town of Minamisanriku in the Miyagi prefecture. The town of Minamisanriku was largely destroyed by the March 2011 tsunami, with most buildings swept away by waves of 16 metres or more, killing around 10,000 people. The loss of life in this one small town formed a very significant percentage of the total nationwide Japanese death toll from the tsunami.

This ‘triple disaster’ which hit Japan on the 11th of March 2011 was devastating for a myriad of reasons. The 20 metre-high flood of water which hit the Pacific coast of Tohoku was a magnitude 9.0 undersea mega thrust earthquake was the result of one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world since modern record-keeping began. The disaster was not only contained to March 11 but included 200 aftershocks, a nuclear major accident, 320,000 evacuees and 150,000 damaged vehicles.

To be able to visit this site and walk among the ruins was far and away one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

The visit certainly gave me new perspective on tragedy and the human reaction. How does one find hope after heartbreak, loss and mourning?

The Japanese, however, have an amazing spirit. They will continually go out of their way to show you grace and I believe it is this humbleness which will allow them to recover as a country and once again be a great figure of prosperity, strength and culture in the Asia Pacific.

In a strange way, we see the same spirit in the girls at the AFESIP shelters in Cambodia. An amazing ability to defy circumstances and display joy and hope despite an awful past.

It‘s an attitude we all can gain inspiration and perspective from.

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

Revelation 21:4

An interview with the wonderful Stephanie Lorenzo, founder of PROJECT FUTURES.

In 2007, Macquarie University graduate, Stephanie Lorenzo organised a 500-kilometre bike ride across Cambodia to raise money for the Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF). Whilst on the two week bike ride, Stephanie met with Somaly Mam, a local Cambodian who was forced into prostitution in her childhood and the girls under her care. “Somaly’s attitude was another thing that I was drawn to – her willingness and openness to communicate and tell people her story… she does this every day for the greater good, to educate and inspire people” Stephanie said.

After reading Somaly’s biography, The Road of Lost Innocence, Stephanie was inspired to start Project Futures Ltd in 2009, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to raise awareness and combat sex-trafficking. At the root of the organisation is a foundation of socially-engaged volunteers who balance their life to campaign for this cause. By holding innovative events and fundraisers, such as the Stella Fella campaign, they are able to garner the support of many like-minded people, some of which are big celebrities such as singer Guy Sebastian and footballer Jarryd Hayne.

Since its inception, Project Futures has gone global, partnering with SMF and other charities, doing advocacy work and fundraising in Australia and abroad. In its few years of operation they have managed to raise $450,000 to support their projects.

Before then, Stephanie’s career path was fairly linear. She graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of International Communications and the hope of starting a marketing and public relations firm. “I have a love of everything international, and my degree helped me to understand cultural sensitivities and… to respect culture.”

“It also opened a lot of doors for me, especially with my background in marketing and media” she said. However, just like all big career moves, this transition was not without its hurdles. “You know what the biggest obstacle was? It was people not believing you could do it.

“Project Futures was hard to get off the ground…In its first two years, Project Futures was one hundred per cent voluntary and it easily impeded a work life.

“Of course there were times where I wanted to pull my hair out and throw my hands up and say it’s over, but the moment you remember why you started it, it is impossible to turn your back on it.”

Besides the challenges presented by establishing a new organisation and having a part-time career, Stephanie had to also contend with her parents. “[My] parents, especially, were surprised and dare I say a little disappointed…but now they have been so supportive. A lot of it was making sure they understood and appreciated it.”

Stephanie recognises that passion and commitment are integral to her line of work. “It’s very easy for volunteers to say they’re going to do something and don’t… they need to be reliable and committed.”

“We’re open to anyone with skills and talents. You can be a plumber and still get involved. You just need to be willing to ask questions and stand up and say I’m part of Project Futures and I’m proud of that.

“You need passion for something.”

Although, passion is not usually a trait associated with Generation Y. Apathy and indifference is abundant in portrayals of youth. However, Project Futures – being youth operated – inverts this stereotype onto its head. “Stereotypes will always be stereotypes… [But] there are also a lot of things that the media hasn’t said about Gen Y… that remain unspoken.”

“People just need to believe in [us]. I’m constantly surprised at what happens when you inspire young people to get involved.”

This article first appeared in Macquarie University’s student publication, Grapeshot News  Issue 3, 2012.

FUTURES '11 cycle team

Dear Somaly,

You have changed my life in so many ways. When I signed up for the PROJECT FUTURES cycle through Laos and Cambodia I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I had no idea of how much it would change me as a person. I think you are a wonderful person and the work you do is inspiring. Now I have seen firsthand where your inspiration comes from – your girls are amazing. You change the lives of so many girls when you rescue them, from the brothels, but I wonder if you have any idea of how much you change the lives of others, especially the PROJECT FUTURES cycling participants.

I spent the first two weeks of December 2011 cycling, partying and eating breakfast daily with a group of people who overwhelmed me with their passion, humility, integrity, kindness and generosity. Thanks to you I now have 27 new friends, of the highest calibre.

Anita and Somaly meet in Cambodia, December 2011

Cycling with these people, meeting the girls at the shelters and seeing the beautiful countryside in Laos and Cambodia opened my mind, broadened my horizons and challenged me mentally almost as much as it did physically. You are mother to a few hundred girls and young women and yet you have more love and physical contact with them than many women have for their own biological children. The love and warmth you have for the girls and they in turn have for you is genuine and one of the strongest, sincerest forms of love I have ever experienced. The love the girls had for us surprised me. It caught me off guard at first but before too long I was enveloped in it and reassured by the amount of love and affection these young girls and women had to give.

As a single mother with three grown up children I found it hard to raise the money and that was my first challenge. Once I got started though, I found a lot of supporters who were only too eager and willing to help. Quite a few of my friends and family members got involved and for that I am extremely grateful. Progress was slow at times, but I kept setting myself goals and before too long the fundraising target had been reached and the first challenge was out of the way.

Fitness was the second challenge. I had never been particularly fit, but I wasn’t exactly unfit either. I had been going to the gym doing Pump, Pilates and yoga classes for a few years, which was basically within my comfort zone. Now I was going to have to get some serious cycling fitness happening. I bought an exercise bike and almost every day from July through to November I would cycle my 10 kms per day in front of the TV. Sometimes I would cycle with Uggg boots and central heating on to help me acclimatize. (I was later to discover that this was a bit of overkill, because most of the time Laos and Cambodia were the perfect temperature. There were one or two extremely hot days, but nothing we couldn’t handle).

Angkor Wat with PROJECT FUTURES team

The third challenge was meeting the girls. Somaly House in Kampong Cham is a beautiful place, full of beautiful girls with big smiles on their faces and so much love in their hearts. They also love to sing and dance as we were to discover. We had the privilege of spending a few hours dancing non-stop with the girls. It was a combination of traditional Khmer dancing as well as a bit of the traditional bumping and grinding on the dance floor. There was even some break dancing from a few of the girls. It was very liberating and a whole lot of fun. The hardest part was having to say goodbye to our newfound friends when it was time to leave at the end of the day.

Apart from meeting the girls, who were absolutely amazingly delightful, the other impressive aspect of the trip was meeting the other cyclists. What an eclectic bunch. I was at the older end of the sliding scale for age range. There were some flamboyant, outgoing personalities and there were some reserved and introspective e personality types amongst us. For all our differences, there were similarities. Were united by a common cause and were all thrown into a situation where we had to co-exist, rely on and support each other. There was a lot of sharing of sunscreen, insect repellent and hand sanitiser.

We partied until 3am or later on a couple of occasions, we met Susan Sarandon at the National Anti-Human Trafficking Day and we had some of the most wonderful Laotian and Cambodian Tour Guides. We explored Angkor Wat and a few other temples, we mingled with locals in villages and high fived excited children, who gave us a rock star welcome as we cycled through some of the most remote villages. We ate too many fried eggs and too much rice and possibly drank too much Beer Laos or Captain Morgan’s at times. We invented awards for both excellence and stupidity, which were ceremoniously handed out each evening when we gathered for dinner.

Overall, we had an amazing, life altering experience brought about by the fact that Somaly Mam is an incredible woman, who generously gives so much of herself to change the lives of girls and young women in South East Asia. What she might not know, and what I really want her to know is this.

Somaly you have changed my life for the better. Your warmth, love and compassion know no boundaries and I feel so blessed and so much richer for the experience. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Anita Trevaskis

Hi Stephanie, Tom, Jerry and your group. What are you doing right now? And how are you? for me very good. And I’m study English every evening.  Now I would like to tell you about my English take a test on 22, Feb,12 in evening I’m very happy. But I’m not happy with my test I’m happy about my hope because before I want went School. but I can’t and now I can go to School alike other children and I hope after that I can read and write English well all of these I get from sister Somaly she is also good also lovely and such as very good mother/sister for me because she is give my love, hope and my good future and every think . And now I hope my future I can help all the Vitim  such as sister Somaly. And you to because you are help us to study English, you love and support us a lot. now we’re missing you so much we hope after that you can help us moor and moor.

we’re love you so much.

Dear projec tfutures .

How are you today .

You know brother I miss you so mice .

I one to see you again .

For Long Somana .

Each year the South East Asia FUTURES Cycle Challenges get bigger and bigger with last year’s cycle attracting 28 participants, our largest cohourt of riders yet! It is feedback and recounts of expereince like the one below that make me smile and think we are doing something right! Thank you to all the amazing FUTURES ’11 riders and of course Paige for sharing her thoughts here:

Cycling through Cambodia for Somaly Mam

Paige’s Experience

If someone had of told me 12 months ago “you will ride 600kms through Laos and Cambodia, raise $14,000 for human trafficking and meet some of the most inspiring women and children you will ever meet” I would have told them they were dreaming. However, after having a yearning for more years than I can count to travel to Cambodia and volunteer with victims of sexual slavery I finally made the decision to do something about it and after doing hours of research, I found the wonderful Project Futures. Through the inspiration of an incredible bunch of women in Melbourne and as I like to call it a “moment of madness” my friend Andy and I decided to join the Project Futures Cycle challenge 2011 and I can honestly say this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Although, at times the thought of cycling 600kms turned me to tears (to give you context – I am NOT a cyclist, in fact I don’t even own a bike!) and the thought of planning another Fundraising event sent my mind into a dizzy spell I stuck it out and now looking back what I can tell you is that I have enjoyed every single second of my experience and I can truly look back on it all with a fondness that is difficult to put into words.

So, often after people have done a trip like this you will hear them use the words “it changed my life” something I have never quite understood as it often left me wondering how a 2 week trip could possibly “change someone’s life” but now I get it… This cycle is not simply a 2 week trip it is an opportunity to be involved in something wonderful, to have an impact and to say NO I will not stand any longer for something as heinous as human trafficking to continue. When I sat down to write this short piece I wondered how to put into words the incredible journey this last 12 months has been for me but then I realised that’s not what is important. What is important is the people you meet on this trip, the relationships you build and the amazing countries that you get to visit. From spending days on a bike cycling through beautiful landscapes whilst being greeted by small children screaming “HELLO” in their native tongue – which let me tell you nothing distracts you more from the pain of your butt on a bike seat than 20 small children screaming in utter excitement and awe just because you are riding past them and they so rarely see people from different countries, to sitting and talking with the local guides from Raw about their story and their families, or engaging in wonderful conversations and going on adventures with fellow riders; some of who will now become lifelong friends or meeting the girls and just sitting with them, the ones who are our walking wounded who have been so affected by these terrible crimes, who are resilient, amazing and inspiring each in their own right…whatever it is that you are doing on this trip or on the year leading up to it, you will have moments where you will feel free, you will feel rewarded, inspired, strong, appreciation and love. You will also feel sadness and pain for those less fortunate, anger for those that have so unfairly had their innocence stolen from them but most of all you will feel hope, because what Somaly Mam has done for these girls is not only rescue them but given them a home, told them their worthy, loved them and made them feel deserving…something many of them have never experienced until now.

By going on the Project Futures ride, you also give these women and children hope…you will be telling them they are not alone, that they are valued, loved, it’s not their fault and that what has happened to them is not ok. My journey is my own, what I experienced will be different from others that have done this before and who will do it in the future but what I do know is that what is happening in the human trafficking world, our world… needs to be stopped. Finally, when you dedicate your time and energy into raising awareness and money for this cause and then you go to some of these countries and you just be with these girls…you are taking action and I truly believe that there is opportunity in this for us all to say “Not only has this changed my life but I have been able to change others lives along the way and for that I am truly blessed.”