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KEY AREAS OF INTEREST

Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault
Human Trafficking
Honor Killings
Women and War

CAMPAIGN INITIATIVES

Campus Coalition Against Trafficking
Community Responses to Human Trafficking
Dru Campaign
Generation Aware
JewelGirls
Project Prepare
Tell Your Friends

PARTNERS

Our Partners Speak Out

"Thousands of girls are being kidnapped from their homes and forced to work as sex slaves each year. Our campaign is opening a hot-line, informing Uzbek girls and women of risk of accepting one of the 'dream' jobs offered to them in other countries. These people offering the jobs aren't their friends, they just want to use them for money. We want girls who are trying to come home to know we can help them. At our hot-line center, a specially trained operator will give free and anonymous information on the telephone. In the last few months, we have received more that 1000 calls, among which are calls from parents and relatives, whose daughters or wives were kidnapped and forced to work as slaves. Most of these callers don't even know if their daughters, wives, girlfriends are alive or dead." Nodira Karimova, Director and Founder of Anti-Trafficking Support Center for Girls - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Nodira Karimova, Director and Founder of Anti-Trafficking Support Center for Girl's in Uzbekistan spoke with Andrea Powell, Director of FAIR Fund about her experiences as a women's rights activist. Below, she discusses the desperate situation of girls in Uzbekistan, and why trafficking is such a big problem.

AP: What inspired you in starting your organization?
NK: I have worked with a lot of different organizations dealing with women's issues. I was always worried about the fact that women in lower economic classes were ignored and did not know about the help they could be offered by these groups. The government and social services did not pay attention to poor women. But, they are the ones that need the assistance the most. It was my observation that these women and girls don't ask for help because they have been taught there is no hope for their situation. They see so many hungry, poor people around them, and eventually they give up on a good future. It is my hope that my organization can really bring hope back to lives of these women and their children through real solutions.

AP: What personal and professional problems did you have while starting your organization?
NK: A lot of my family and professional friends did not understand why I wanted to start my own nonprofit organization. They were worried that I was trying to solve a problem (trafficking) that was never going to get any better. They thought that it was impossible to help girls who 'don't want to help themselves.' But, I talked to them and eventually they started to help me. My biggest supporters were actually my husband and my father. They told me to not be impatient, and to really trust my inner voice. This was very important for me because I was pretty impatient in the beginning. I wanted to save every girl possible, but first I had to build a structure to do that.

AP: Why do you think trafficking is such a big issue in your country?
NK: I think that for a long time, Uzbek people and the government hid the problem. We are a secretive society that does not like to share their problems with the world. A good Uzbek woman had to be first a daughter, than a wife, and finally a good mother. The girls who went abroad were not considered to be good girls. People thought any girl who would do this are just doing it be a prostitute. They did not realize the true deception of the traffickers. Most of these girls need the money - that is why they agree to go. For a long time, no one here really sat back and wondered about how these girls get abroad. No one asked what the problems were that a girl was so desperate to agree to go with a stranger to a foreign country. People just kept closing their eyes, and every time they opened them, the problem was bigger. I decided that we needed a hot line for people to call and ask us questions. A lot of girls call us about their offers to work abroad. And, a lot of families call us because they want to find their daughters. I think that any one can look at our country and see that we are at a crossroads. The economy, patriarchal views of the woman, corruption - it all leads to a fertile ground for girls to be kidnapped into slavery.

AP: Do you think your government is dealing wit the problem of trafficking in an adequate way?
NK: If we compare the trafficking situation from one year ago, to the present one than we can be sure the situation has improved a little. I think that the latest US Department of State's report, "Trafficking in Persons", released this summer has made an influence on my countries attitude to trafficking prevention and prosecution of offenders. Our country was classified as 'Tier 3", which means we are one of the worst countries for trafficking. Before this report was released, our country didn't really tackle these issues seriously. But, now we are already busting trafficking rings that have been in existence for a long time. I really hope that our government will make relevant conclusions and direct all its efforts in preventing this human tragedy.

AP: What has been the response of the girls you speak to when you tell them about trafficking?
NK: When we held the seminars for the schoolgirls in Tashkent, the girls were really skeptical in the beginning. They only knew very little about the problem, and they were certain that good girls would not be caught in that situation. We told them about the real picture. They learned about the ways that a girl can be tricked into thinking that the job is teaching languages, selling clothes, or translating. We also told them that really poor girls are often the most vulnerable because they are afraid of living on the streets. After these talks, they started to understand why a girl would go abroad. This is very important because girls who go are often thought of as 'bad women' or 'sluts.' They were really shocked about the beatings, forced sex, and even deaths of the girls who are trafficked. They didn't know about any of this even thought the problem is very big in our country. The more that these girls know about the problem, the better they can handle dangerous situations or false job offers. These seminars can save their lives.

AP: What are your future goals for yourself and your organization?
NK: First of all we are going to expand the "Information Campaign For Anti-trafficking" all over the country. For the past year we have gained a lot of partners and support from organizations like FAIR Fund. . This shows that our work is being recognized, and that we are becoming stronger. The Information Campaign will include establishing more hot-line call centers in our three branch offices is ��in Termez, Jizzak and Syrdarya and highlighting the trafficking issue through collaboration with the local press in these regions.

More coming soon!

Career Information

FAIR Fund is currently hiring.

FAIR Fund Fellowship Program
The FAIR Fund fellowship program, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., is an intensive 12-week program designed to prepare future leaders in the anti trafficking experience. To date, FAIR Fund has trained over 100 young professionals and students who have gone on to work in public policy, international and local nonprofits, government jobs, and legal and social service positions. There are three specific fellowship opportunities: Client Services, Programs and Policy, and Development and Communications. There are three fellowship cycles per year: Winter/Spring (January – May), Summer (June – August), and Fall (September – December). The fellowship is an intensive experience requiring a minimum of 25 hours per week and some positions are designed as full-time opportunities. All fellowships are unpaid. Many students have found grants and sponsors to support their anti trafficking education while working at FAIR Fund.

General Requirements: FAIR Fund is seeking individuals with a strong passion to work in the anti trafficking and youth development arena. These individuals should be highly motivated, organized, possess a professional demeanor, be reliable and organized, be able to commit to the entirety of the fellowship experience, and have a sense of compassion for youth at risk of or surviving human trafficking.

Current Openings:
Winter 2010 January 16 – May 15th
Deadline to Apply: January 5, 2010. Applications are strongly encouraged to apply early as decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Summer 2010: June 14th – August 20th
Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2010. Applications are strongly encouraged to apply early as decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Fall 2010 – September 13 – December 10th
Deadline to Apply: August 1, 2010. Applications are strongly encouraged to apply early as decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Applications:
Please send your current resume including two references, a short 1 to 2 page writing sample, and a cover letter explaining your specific interest in working with FAIR Fund, the area of concentration you are applying to, and your specific interest in the area of combating modern day slavery. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. You will be noticed by email if you are selected for an interview. Please email materials to FAIRFundFellowship@fairfund.org

Current FAIR Fund Fellowship Descriptions:
Youth Care Services Fellowship
The youth care services fellow will maintain client files, assist in locating appropriate emergency and transitional housing, assist in preparing care packages for at risk and trafficked youth, assist in case management, and attend and co-facilitate workshops for girl survivors of trafficking. Furthermore, youth care services fellows will occasionally accompany clients to court proceedings, social services meetings, and other necessary appointments. Individuals with a social services background or previous experience in working with high-risk teens are preferred. This position requires flexibility and a willingness to work under often emotionally challenging circumstances. Evenings and weekends will occasionally be required due to the nature of client outreach and services.

Teen Trafficking Prevention Educator Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks two teen trafficking prevention educators for our fellowship program each term. These educators will work primarily inside public schools, group homes, and youth homeless shelters where FAIR Fund conducts its teen trafficking prevention curriculum. This position requires an individual who can commit at least three days a week during the hours of 8AM until 3:30 PM. This position also requires an attention detail; a demonstrated interest in working with teens, flexibility, and the ability to work under emotionally charged conditions. Students in education, counseling, and social services are strongly encouraged to apply. An ability to speak Spanish is highly preferred but not necessary. Fellowship participants will gain hands on experience in trafficking prevention for youth and develop strong community relationships with social service providers and local anti trafficking leaders.

Community Outreach and Training Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks two community outreach and training fellowship participants to assist in the delivery of our signature training to better prepare teachers, social service providers, and law enforcement to identify and assist youth victims of trafficking. This position requires someone very comfortable with public speaking, highly organized with an attention to detail, and a demonstrated capacity to manage multiple tasks. Responsibilities will include: identifying training locations, managing training schedules, preparing training materials, co-delivering trainings, administering training evaluations, preparing training evaluation reports. Students in public administration, public policy, government, education, and advocacy are strongly encouraged to apply. An ability to speak Spanish is highly preferred. Fellowship participants will gain hands on experience in how to prepare and deliver both international and local trainings in anti trafficking and working with leaders and future leaders of the anti trafficking movement.

International Programs Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks two international programs fellowship participants to assist in program development and partnership communications with FAIR Fund’s international partners and staff assisting in the prevention of youth trafficking. This position requires someone very diligent in communications, highly organized, sensitive to cultural differences, and able to manage multiple assignments. Responsibilities will include: to assist in communications with international staff and partners, research and reporting on key international issues related to youth trafficking in FAIR Fund’s regional areas of focus, reviewing and preparing international program reports, and providing case referral assistance for international clients. Students in international relations, public policy, government, education, and advocacy are strongly encouraged to apply. Language skills in Serbian, Albanian, Spanish, Russian, and French are highly desirable. Fellowship participants will gain hands on experience in managing international youth anti trafficking projects while also meeting multiple stakeholders in the fight against modern day slavery.

Counseling Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks one counseling fellowship participant to assist in counseling of youth in FAIR Fund’s care in Washington, D.C. This position requires someone with a social work degree or working toward a degree in counseling. Responsibilities include: an ability to commit six months toward a 20 hour a week counseling agreement to support FAIR Fund’s teen victims of trafficking. Students in counseling and social work will be considered. Fellowship participants will gain hands on counseling experience in the anti trafficking field.

Grants and Corporate Partnerships Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks one grants and corporate partnerships fellowship participant to assist in procuring partnerships and grants from foundations and corporations. This position requires someone very diligent, highly professional and organized, creative, effective in online research, and able to coordinate multi potential partnership opportunities. Responsibilities will include online research, grant and corporate sponsorship application preparation, reporting and managing outreach reports, and communicating with potential partners. Fellowship participants will gain hands on grants and partnerships experience and become part of the anti trafficking resource development arena.

Development and Events Fellowship
FAIR Fund seeks two development and events fellowship participants to assist FAIR Fund in outreach to individual donors and in preparing FAIR Fund’s fundraising events. Responsibilities will include online donor research, appeal letter writing, event development and execution, donor reports, and online donor and events communications. FAIR Fund seeks students in a variety of backgrounds with an interest in building their development and communication skills. FAIR Fund seeks students with skills in web site maintenance and graphic design as well as event planning. This position requires students to be highly organized, possess good attention to detail, ability to multi task under pressure, effective communication skills, and ability to think creatively and meet deadlines. Fellowship participants will gain hands on experience in donor relations and event planning while meeting multiple anti trafficking leaders.

International Fellowships
FAIR Fund will work with students interested in international fellowship experiences. We do not have funding to support international travel, however those interested in an international anti trafficking fellowship should contact FAIR Fund to inquire about possibilities.