ADRA Australia to transition from Keep Girls Safe Project

ADRA Australia will Fund Keep Girls Safe Project until December 2019

Your support of the Keep Girls Safe project in Thailand, in partnership with ADRA Australia, has provided shelter to girls in need, helping them to stay in school longer and access improved employment opportunities. Over the past three years, 33 girls and their families—over 200 people—have experienced better quality of life. Thank you!

Just like you, we at ADRA also want to help people in need achieve better quality of life now, while also addressing the root causes of poverty, disadvantage, and abuse that create the need in the first place. If such issues are not addressed, people will continue to suffer into the future.

For the girls and families in the Keep Girls Safe project, disadvantage is one of the root causes of sex trafficking. And safe migration plays an important role in avoiding abuse of women and girls. With this understanding, ADRA Australia together with ADRA Thailand will now begin to address the issue of safe migration, reducing the exploitation of stateless girls and women along the Thai-Myanmar border. We know this will reduce sex trafficking.

Although ADRA Australia will no longer directly support the Keep Girls Safe project, the project will continue to operate as it receives funding from four other ADRA offices.  ADRA Australia is the smallest financial contributor.

You can continue to donate to Keep Girls Safe through ADRA Australia until 30 June 2019.

Donations received after this date will be directed to our Where It’s Needed Most fund. If you wish to keep donating to Keep Girls Safe, you can do so directly through ADRA Thailand, but your donations will not be eligible for Australian tax deductibility.

We support other wellbeing projects for women and girls, including They Are Not Alone project in PNG and Blossom project in Vanuatu. If you wish to support these projects you can do so at adra.org.au, by contacting 1800 242 372, or by emailing [email protected].

Thank you for your commitment to protecting girls and women in need.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will the project close for lack of financial support?

No. The project receives support from four ADRA offices in Switzerland, Norway, Germany and United States. The Australian office is the smallest financial contributor.

What will happen to the girls?

The girls living at the shelter will continue to be supported through the project.

Why is the Keep Girls Safe project transitioning to focus on safe migration?

ADRA Australia wants to help people in need achieve a better quality of life, while also addressing the root causes of poverty, disadvantage, and abuse that create the need in the first place. If such issues are not addressed, people will continue to suffer into the future.

For the girls and families in the Keep Girls Safe project, disadvantage and abuse are the root causes of sex trafficking. And safe migration plays an important role in avoiding abuse of women and girls. With this understanding, ADRA Australia together with ADRA Thailand will now begin to address the issue of safe migration, reducing the exploitation of stateless girls and women along the Thai-Myanmar border.

What can I do if I want to continue supporting this project past 30 June 2019?

If you would like to continue to support Keep Girls Safe in the future, you can do so by making donations directly to ADRA Thailand at www.adrathailand.org. These donations will not be eligible for Australian tax deductibility.

If ADRA Australia will continue to support this project until December 2019, why stop donations in June 2019?

The reason why ADRA Australia will stop receiving donations in June 2019, instead of December 2019, is that this will allow the funds that have been raised for the project to be implemented.

How will donations received after 30 June 2019 be processed?

Any donations received for the Keep Girls Safe project past 30 June 2019 will be processed to ADRA’s Where It’s Needed Most fund. Money from this fund is used to address funding shortfalls to help people in other similar situations that need urgent help.

I am disappointed by this decision. Who can I talk to at ADRA Australia about this?

We want to hear from you if you have any other questions. Please send an email to [email protected] or call 1800 242 372, and the right person from our team will respond.

I would like to continue my monthly donations. What projects should I support?

ADRA Australia has other projects that provide support to vulnerable women and girls and help improve their wellbeing. Supporters are encouraged to give to these projects if they wish to continue to give through ADRA Australia.

They are Not Alone Project in PNG

Blossom Project in Vanuatu