20 years of | healing | hope | freedom |
2023 is the 20th year of Rapha’s work with vulnerable and victimized children. In 2003, Rapha’s first Survivor Care campus was established in Battambang, Cambodia. Since then, three more residential Survivor Care campuses, three Prevention Centers, and four community-based service centers have been established in Cambodia, Thailand, Haiti, and the United States. Over the last 20 years, thousands have been impacted by Rapha’s mission- to end the trafficking and sexual abuse of children- one child, one family, and one community at a time.
20 years of healing, 20 years of hope, and 20 years of freedom- all made possible by the generosity and faithfulness of Rapha’s partners.
20 Years of Healing
At Rapha, healing is our heartbeat. Trauma tears people down, but healing builds them up again. When girls come to Rapha, they are often sick or injured. They are afraid, confused, and sometimes angry. Trauma has taken their ability to trust others and to value themselves. In Hebrew, Rapha means “to heal.” Our work with each young survivor is focused on building her up and healing for her body, mind, heart, and soul.
Under the direction of the US-based Survivor Care Director, Angie Brower, MSW, LCSW, Rapha counselors provide trauma-informed mental health care to survivors. These staff members have advanced training in trauma and its impacts on health, behavior, and wellbeing. They are trained in the use of a counseling curriculum based on the principles of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). In addition to mental health care, all the children cared for by Rapha International access regular and high-quality medical care. On intake, all children are screened for sexually transmitted infections and other health concerns or injuries. Children receive regular follow-up medical treatment and screening, including pre- and post- natal care as needed.
20 Years of Hope
When a survivor’s needs are met, and she is on the path to physical and emotional healing, her next step is to cultivate hope for her future. Hope is found at Rapha when girls reconnect with their families, when their abusers are convicted, and when they make plans that they previously would not have thought possible. Families have hope restored when Rapha’s Prevention Programs help them to connect to their communities and send their children to school. Moments like these accumulate into genuine, lasting hope.
Rapha International works to create connections that strengthen families and communities, through social work and by pursuing justice for victims of trafficking and abuse. Social workers employed by Rapha International work with families of survivors to strengthen the safety net for vulnerable children. They seek out helpful resources for children and their families that will mitigate risks and build resiliency. Rapha staff also act as liaisons for law enforcement and criminal justice systems, supporting the effort to investigate possible trafficking activities and to prosecute traffickers.
20 Years of Freedom
Sustainable freedom is the ultimate goal for every child served by Rapha. Finding freedom that is long lasting and durable requires education, skill building, and community reintegration. Survivors must be empowered and equipped to provide for themselves and their families, to decrease their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking. Sustainable freedom requires a safety net- a community that protects the vulnerable and has been educated on the dangers of human trafficking
In accordance with local and national guidelines, children at Rapha International receive a formal education, either off-site at a public or private school or on-site with the Rapha teaching staff. In addition to this formal education, all of the children benefit from computer classes, agriculture classes, and classes on life and social skills provided by Rapha staff. Vocational training and work-study opportunities are continually sought for clients in Rapha’s care. Sewing classes are provided for survivors in Cambodia and Thailand to prepare them for jobs in Southeast Asia’s extensive textile industry. In Battambang, Cambodia there is a dedicated program for children with special needs, complete with special education teachers to work with children with barriers to learning.
Sustainable freedom can only be found outside of Rapha’s walls, when survivors return to their families and communities. A hallmark of treatment at Rapha International is that every survivor’s experience is tailored to her strengths, needs, and goals. Survivors are encouraged to explore their skills and aspirations regarding their future, and to choose a reintegration track accordingly. Rapha continues to serve survivors through diverse reintegration programs, including support for family resilience, education, and small business management.
The Next 20 Years
We are so excited for what the next 20 years will bring. We hope you are too. Rapha is growing in its capacity to reach families and communities beyond the Survivor Care campuses, while constantly working to ensure the highest quality services for the child survivors in our care. We are working hard to promote trauma treatment and child protection in communities all over the world- including communities right here in the United States.
Our vision for children to live in sustainable freedom within safe communities can only be achieved when Rapha partners commit to that goal. We need your help to make Rapha’s next 20 years as transformative for vulnerable children and their families as the last 20 years have been.
