Makara is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. He chose his career as a lawyer after he was brutally shot by a police officer, wrongfully accused of a crime, and imprisoned. When the charges were finally dropped, Makara decided to go to law school.

Makara advocates through his work as a lawyer and has shared his own story to raise awareness and demand justice through media interviews and international speaking engagements. He is a founding member of the Kenya Champions of Justice, a chapter of the Global Survivor Network based in Nairobi and comprised of men and women who have experienced or lost loved ones to police brutality. He most enjoys seeing children playing joyfully, especially his own.

Makara is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. “I would like to be in the service of the Lord by bringing hope to those who have been treated unfairly and adding my voice to those who want to see change,” says Makara, “The survivor network is very important; survivors need support and mentorship so that they do not think about revenge. The network will help them resolve their pain positively and avoid drowning in it.”

Makara lives in Nyahururu, Kenya.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Kenya, or available virtually

Language: English, Kiswhahili

Expertise: Police abuse of power/police brutality; biblical justice; rule of law; human rights; poverty; lawyer

Experience: David has delivered keynote speeches at conferences in the U.S. and has been interviewed by TV and print media in Kenya

Jakelin is the Coordinator of Survivors Network for IJM Guatemala, and she is currently a law school student.

Jakelin is a survivor of sexual violence, and she is passionate about helping other survivors find the courage to use their voice to fight for justice. She has advocated for the protection of women and children in Central America by sharing her own story, raising awareness through the media, and speaking to elected officials in Guatemala and the United States. She enjoys going for walks with her son and their dog, attending church, and dancing.

Jakelin is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “I am on the council because I am a survivor. Because through everything that I lived, and all the cases I have heard of, I am encouraged to seek justice for many little kids who are so innocent and vulnerable. It hurts very much to know of the cases of these little ones who are victims. During the time that you are suffering you can’t imagine that there is a light coming, and once you discover it, you realize you could have not imagined all that God had prepared for you.”

Jakelin lives in Guatemala City.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Guatemala City, or available virtually

Language: Spanish

Expertise: Sexual violence; justice; resilience; survivor voice; advocate for survivor rights, dignity and perspectives

Experience: Jakelin has delivered keynote and breakout speeches at conferences in the U.S. and to congressional leaders in Guatemala, advocating for child rights protections and speaking out about the harm of sexual violence to society

Josephine is a social worker with a passion to serve women, children and families who have survived violence. Josephine was orphaned as a young girl in Northern Uganda, and she lived through a two-decade civil war that tore apart her family and her country. Her own story of struggle and triumph fuels her desire to help other women stand strong.

Josephine is an Aftercare Manager with International Justice Mission. She is now on staff with IJM Ghana, where she supports child survivors of slavery on Lake Volta. In her previous role with IJM Gulu, she counseled women whose land had been stolen or lives had been altered by intimated partner violence.

Josephine’s goal is to empower other survivors to speak out and break the silence. In her work she helps survivors advocate for their own needs. She has dedicated her life to championing lasting solutions and mobilizing leadership at all levels to ensure justice prevails in her community and around the world, so that girls and women are free from the threat and impact of violence. Josephine has shared her expertise and experience in the United Kingdom, United States and Germany.

Josephine is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “I have seen so many development interventions over the years. Many did not take into account the local needs and instead just focused on what a donor or someone who had not lived here or experienced life here wanted. I very strongly believe that for interventions to achieve sustainable change and meet the needs of survivors, they must be informed by survivor voices. I am keen to participate in the Leadership Council firstly so that the voice of a survivor can be heard, but also so that other survivors can take strength and courage from that example.”

Josephine lives in Gulu, Uganda.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Gulu, Uganda (soon: Accra, Ghana), or available virtually

Language: English, Acholi

Expertise: Violence against women and children; intimate partner violence; women and children’s rights; women’s empowerment; human rights; poverty; biblical justice; social work practitioner; resilience; survivor voice; advocate for survivor rights, dignity and perspectives

Experience: Josephine has delivered keynote and breakout speeches at conferences in the U.S., UK and Germany, and she has been interviewed by media in the UK and Canada.

Raja is a practicing Advocate at the Honorable Madras High Court and other courts across the state of Tamil Nadu. Raja is a survivor of bonded labor, and he regularly shares about his own story of restoration with other survivors in a local survivor mentorship group.

Raja says it is his greatest joy to extend helping hands to rescue people who are oppressed and see them enjoy the freedom in their life, while seeking justice for them as a staff lawyer at International Justice Mission.

In addition to advocating against bonded labor through criminal court proceedings, he leads trainings for NGOs, police officers and court authorities in India. He has also traveled internationally to speak about bonded labor in India. His greatest enjoyment comes when spending time with his family and playing with his children.

Raja is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. He says, “I feel so fortunate to be a leader on the Leadership Council of the Global Survivor Network. Since I have experienced and walked through similar paths as a survivor, I feel I will be able to understand and contribute better, serving in this role. I am excited and it is my privilege to be part of the Leadership Council of the Global Survivor Network and I believe we can create good leaders among the community and encourage each other to serve effectively and be successful in life.”

Raja lives in Chennai, India.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Chennai, India, or available virtually

Languages: Tamil, English

Expertise: Bonded labor; human trafficking; lawyer; human rights; children’s rights; women’s rights; victim rights; poverty; rule of law

Experience: Raja has spoken at conferences and meetings in India (multiple states: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi), the United States and the United Kingdom, a keynote speaker, a panelist, and as a workshop trainer.

Pachaiyammal is a cluster coordinator for the State Rural Livelihood Mission, a pilot project to increase access to government programs for survivors of bonded labour. Pachaiyammal was enslaved in a rock quarry in South India for twelve years, and she is passionate about ending modern slavery across her state and nation.

Pachaiyammal is the General Secretary for the Released Bonded Labourers Association (RBLA) state chapter, a network of more than 2,000 women and men who are using their freedom to advocate for others still enslaved. Over the last two years, she has led eight rescue operations as an RBLA leader, bringing freedom to over 100 people. Each operation begins with Pachaiyammal sharing her own story to people who are likewise trapped in modern slavery, then presenting documentation and mobilizing government officials to intervene. She has helped enroll children into school, advocated for various identification cards that entitle the holder to a range of government benefits, and petitioned local officials for a new road and toilet in her village, as well as new houses for herself and several other families.

Pachaiyammal is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “I am passionate to work for my community and love to represent bonded labour survivors at this global space. I will be able to bring to the table the ground realities that my people face in their freedom journey, and I am also looking forward to learn more from the others.”

Pachaiyammal lives in Kancheepuram, India.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Chennai, India, or available virtually

Language: Tamil

Expertise: Bonded labor; women and children’s rights; human rights; poverty; survivor voice; advocate for survivor’s rights, dignity, and perspectives

Experience: Pachaiyammal has shared her story and raised awareness of bonded labour through multiple media interviews, and she has spoken at conferences and meetings in India and in the United States, as a keynote speaker and panelist.

Charito works as a Medical Social Worker in a Cebu hospital. Charito is a survivor of trafficking, and she shares her story of strength with other survivors and to groups or school programs that support ending violence. She is part of the S.M.A.R.T. group in the Visayas Region, which is part of the Global Survivor Network. On her day off, Charito loves spending time with her family and volunteering in the shelter where she once lived.

Charito is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “I believe that sharing our experiences and getting involved in advocacy is one way to end forms of violence. I wanted to do more: to speak out louder, to help build stronger support systems and be able to work personally with other survivors. There’s this one thing I really cared about—to be able to help other survivors be heard globally. I do believe that our voices will have an impact in helping other survivors in different parts of the globe because of our personal experiences.”

Charito lives in Cebu, Philippines.

*Charito is a chosen pseudonym to maintain her privacy online.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Cebu, Philippines, or available virtually

Language: Cebuano, English, Tagalog

Expertise: Human trafficking; women and children’s rights; survivor voice; advocate for survivor’s rights, dignity and perspectives

Experience: Charito has shared about her own experience and raised awareness of human trafficking at prayer gatherings

Vanessa is a creative and bold advocate for survivors of violence around the world based in the US. She grew up in the Philippines and is a survivor of sexual abuse. Vanessa has served as one of the survivor leaders in the advocacy group, “Standing Together to Advocate Rights”, in Manila.

Vanessa works for the Global Programs team in IJM. Prior joining the team, she worked as an Account Executive in an Information Technology company based in Washington DC, where she worked closely with US government offices for its technology needs and purchasing efforts. She also served as an Aftercare Fellow helping to build the Global Survivor Network, then worked interim as a Campaign Coordinator with IJM Advocacy & Mobilization and Constituent Experience team in 2018. She grew up and earned her Bachelor’s degree and license in Social Work in the Philippines.

Vanessa enjoys learning multimedia arts and creating videos. In her free time, she loves to explore coffee shops and try neighborhood restaurants (so far, her favorite is still Korean and of course, Filipino food).  

Vanessa is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “Survivors’ voices need to be an integral part of developing programs and policies. As a part of the Leadership Council of the Global Survivor Network, I hope to continue to serve my fellow survivors and empower them to share their own expertise and talents to impact and unite leaders worldwide to end modern slavery.”   

Vanessa lives in the United States.  

Speaker Overview 

Travels from:  Philadelphia, PA or available virtually 

Language: English, Tagalog  

Expertise: Violence against women and children; women and children’s rights; women’s empowerment; human rights; aftercare; resilience; survivor voice; advocate for survivor rights, dignity and perspectives; community development; community organization; social development   

Experience: Vanessa served as an Aftercare Fellow with International Justice Mission, and she has experience consulting on survivor-centered tools and resources (read: Measuring Survivor Restoration With the Assessment of Survivor Outcomes Tool)  

Victoria is a women’s rights advocate based in Uganda. She is a survivor of Lord’s Resistance Army abductions and has shared her story and amplified the stories of other survivors from local, national, and international platforms.

Victoria holds a Masters in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame; a Post Graduate Diploma from Uganda Management Institute; and a bachelor’s degree from Kyambogo University.

Victoria coordinated the efforts of more than 500 war-affected women to provide input into the Ugandan government’s post-conflict policy and program. Her work resulted in the Parliament of Uganda unanimously passing a resolution to address the plight of women survivors of northern Uganda’s conflicts, and the adoption of a National Transitional Justice Policy that considers the unique gender justice needs of war-affected women and their children born out of sexual violence.

Victoria is the founder of Women in Action for Women, a Ugandan organization that improves the lives of women and youth through vocational skills training, business skills enhancement, and supports community governance structures. She currently works as a Global Partnerships Consultant at International Justice Mission.

Victoria is the 2019 recipient of Amnesty International’s Ginetta Sagan Award for Women’s and Children’s Rights, which recognizes the outstanding achievement of women doing effective work, often at great personal risk, to protect the dignity, liberties and lives of women and children in crisis regions where abuse of human rights is widespread.

Victoria is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She shares this about her desire to see the Global Survivor Network grow: “Survivors across the globe will have the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from each other. This will give a strong voice for advocacy towards policy reforms, designing of strategies that address the challenges that survivors go through, and the need to put an end to this. This approach is sustainable since we will be able to meet and push for one agenda instead of having divided attention. At the end of the day survivors will gain visibility and the perpetrators will find it hard to continue their criminal acts since the silence will be no more.”

Victoria lives in Uganda.

Victoria enjoys going to the gym, interacting with family members, meeting women groups, telling stories and spending time with friends.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Uganda, or available virtually

Language: English, Luo, Runyoro

Expertise: Violence against women and children; intimate partner violence; women and children’s rights; women’s empowerment; human rights; poverty; biblical justice; trauma; resilience; survivor voice; advocate for survivor rights, dignity and perspectives; peacebuilding

Experience: Victoria has delivered keynote and breakout speeches at conferences in Jordan, Spain, Switzerland, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and she has been interviewed by multiple media outlets.

Ruby is a gentle yet outspoken advocate against sexual abuse and exploitation of children who dreams of building a community free from violence. Ruby is a survivor of Online Sexual Abuse of Children (OSEC) and has shared her experience widely in hopes of building a community where there is no violence. She is an incredible advocate for others trapped in exploitation and has won awards for sharing her story boldly on various platforms.

She remains humble and always willing to learn by seeking character development and career growth. Today, Ruby is a full-time mom to two lovely children. She works as Project Coordinator at a solar company promoting clean and renewable sources of energy. In her free time, she enjoys singing karaoke, reading, dancing with her daughter, and watching K-Dramas on Netflix. 

In 2022, Ruby became a member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “Survivor experiences are different, but somehow, by speaking with someone who has a similar experience, they will be able to gain strength and be comfortable sharing their stories and this could be a stepping stone for them towards advocating for change.” 

Ruby lives in Manila, Philippines.  

Speaker Overview  

Travels from: Manila, Philippines or available virtually  

Languages: English, Tagalog, Filipino

Expertise: Human trafficking; women and children’s rights; OSEC

Experience:
- British Ambassador’s Women’s Month Dinner (April 22, 2022)
- BBC Interview (journalist: Patrick Clahane) (April 15, 2022)
- UK Online Safety Bill – meeting with MPs (May 26, 2022)
- The Fight of My Life: Ruby vs OSEC Podcast (April 1, 2022--for pre-launch on May 25, 2022)
- International Justice Mission: Global Prayer Gathering (May 13, 2022)
- Center to End OSEC Part-time Survivor Consultant (July 2022 - April 2023)

*Ruby is a chosen pseudonym to maintain her privacy online.  

Godwin is a survivor of labor trafficking, and he shares his story to advocate for the rights of children who suffer violence on fishing boats. In 2015, a trafficker lured him onto a fishing boat. He was enslaved and forced to work instead of going to school for three years. Within 24 hours of his own rescue, Godwin courageously led the Ghana Police and IJM back out onto the water to help authorities identify nearly 30 other children and arrest over a dozen suspects.

As a youth activist and emerging leader, Godwin is passionate about ending slavery in his country and advocates within his community so that families understand the risks involved in sending children to distant relatives. Currently, he attends High School and dreams of becoming a doctor someday. Godwin is part of the Ghana GSN Chapter, My Story Counts, part of the Global Survivor Network. In his free time, he enjoys reading science books and playing football.  

In 2022, Godwin became a member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. He says, “Child trafficking is not a normal act, we must all work hard to put an end to it.” Godwin says his deep desire is “ to share my story on a variety of forums to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking in Ghana.”

Godwin lives in Accra, Ghana. 

Speaker Overview 

Travels from: Ghana, or available virtually

Languages: English, Twi, Ewe

Expertise: Human Trafficking, Child Trafficking, Slavery on Fishing Boats, Child Rights and Education

Experience: Advocacy, local platforms, Awareness, and Outreach Campaigns 

Lillian is known within her community as a passionate advocate for women’s rights. Lillian is a survivor of Intimate Partner Violence. She left an abusive marriage after nine years and filed a legal case against her husband in a society that believes that Intimate Partner Violence is a family matter. Today, she operates a small charcoal business in Gulu, Uganda. Because of her experiences, she is a strong advocate within her community for women’s rights and women’s empowerment. Lillian spends her free time connecting with women in violent relationships and reminding them that they are not alone.

In 2022, Lillian became a member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. She says, “I want to be part of this community that empowers women to get out of violent relationships."

Lillian lives in Gulu, Uganda.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Gulu, Uganda, or available virtually; She is available but will have to travel at least a kilometer to the IJM office to access internet during meetings.

Languages: English and Luo

Expertise: She is a mobiliser, a women’s leader in her church and an activist for women’s rights

Experience: Prayer conferences, sharing her personal story.

Kumar is a passionate advocate for his community and anyone who has suffered violence. Kumar is a survivor of bonded labor trafficking. He was 7 years old when he was rescued by Indian police from slavery in a brick factory, and with support from IJM’s aftercare program he completed schooling. He is part of the  Released Bonded Labor Association which is part of the Global Survivor Network. In his free time, he enjoys performing classical Indian folk dances and creating art.  

In 2022, Kumar became a member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable. He says, “When I was rescued at the age of seven, someone else was writing my story but today I am making history by being able to help write the stories of many others like me.”    

Kumar now lives in India. 

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Chennai, India or available virtually  

Languages: English and Tamil

Expertise: Human trafficking; education, social work, child rights

Experience:  Local advocacy in India

SJ is a gentle, shy, and artistically inclined survivor leader, who is bravely speaking out about his experiences with violence in an attempt to bring change to his community. SJ experienced sexual violence when he was only 11 years old. After almost ten years of going through a rollercoaster of emotions and trials, SJ's family and IJM Bolivia achieved justice.

Born in the city of La Paz, Bolivia, SJ is currently a third-year student at University studying Psychology. He says “the fact that I received psychological care and all the other support I got, makes me want to contribute somehow with everything I have now.” SJ is considering specializing in education or forensics.

SJ’s experiences led him to join “Proyecto Fénix,” a movement led by survivors of violence, supported by IJM, which seeks real change and demands protection for other girls and boys so that they never have to suffer what he did. In Fénix, SJ has found a community formed by other survivors who, like him, are willing to use their voices and their stories to protect others.

As a member of the Fénix survivor group, he works to promote justice in his community. SJ is an introvert who enjoys watching movies, reading books, and everything related to art.

SJ now lives in Bolivia.

Speaker Overview

Travels from: Bolivia or available virtually

Languages: English and Spanish

Expertise: Sexual violence

Experience: Advocacy workshops and leadership of Fénix Survivor Network, attended interviews and presentations regarding sexual violence issues.