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Free-Them birthday fundraiser raises funds and awarenessBy Hiba Kesebi"We wanted to raise as much awareness SPECIAL TO THE BEAVERas we can, and we've succeeded. Our entire church knows about it as well as our school Human trafficking is happening in and even some high schools in Mississauga," Canada, within our communities and must said Pedde.be stopped.Timea Nagy, a victim of human traffick-That was the motivation behind Saturday's ing, was overwhelmed by Sawh and Pedde's Free-Them birthday fundraiser held at determination to put an end to human traf-King's Christian Collegiate, which raised ficking. more than $6,000 for Free-Them, an Thirteen years ago Nagy arrived at Oakville-based group whose mission is to Pearson Airport from Budapest, Hungary abolish human trafficking both within thinking that she would be doing domestic Canada and abroad.work in Canada for three months, after Human trafficking involves the recruit-which she'd travel back home to her family. ment or harbouring of persons for the pur-However, the events that unfolded at the pose of exploitation predominantly in the airport were far from what she was led to sex industry or for forced labour. Every year believe. 800 to 1,500 women are trafficked into Instead, Nagy was taken to a motel and Canada. Most are between 12 and 14 years forced to work as an exotic dancer. old."It's a very cruel world. Once you get traf-After being exposed to the issue at a church ficked you can't get out."beneficiary concert, birthday boys Caleb Sawh, She said that she'd look out the motel 16, and Taylor Pedde, 16, decided to forgo window at people walking by, thinking how DANIEL HO / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER presents this year and instead dedicate their nice it would feel to be free like them.special day to combat the prevalence of human "It's not that if I scream, people wouldn't FREE-THEM SUPPORTERS:Attending the Free-Them birthday fundraiser were (l-r) Walktrafficking, not just internationally, but right hear me. But what will I say. I'm trapped," With Me founder Timea Nagy, event organizers Taylor Pedde and Caleb Sawh, RCMP Constablehere within the GTA.she said, describing the thoughts that played Lepa Jankovic, and Free Them founder Shae Invidiata.Early last week, six men and two women in her head as she looked out her motel ally get up and fight for it, to make sure that The two boys, who have been planning were charged with 32 offences for trafficking window 13 years ago. it stops," explained Sawh. "I thought even for the event since January, hoped it will not six women, the youngest just 14 years old, in Nagy said the hardest part is that she though I am a teenager, there must still be only raise money for Free-Them, but also Peel Region.didn't know where to go and who to turn to something that I can do, which led me to garner the community's attention about the "I was blown away at how close it (human for help.bring this idea with Taylor."issue.trafficking) was to home. I was ready to liter-See High page 11-RLQ /LRQKHDG * && DQG 5R\DO 2QWDULR *& IRU RXU 0RWKHUV 'D\ %UXQFK 6XQGD\ 0D\ WK 0XOWLSOH 6HDWLQJV d wAUG A ?G?G?|AlsY ? I? w?G sYI?wAlsY GA?G ЎYlA? Z?Au KYlA?s ' ? >sYSGAE 'T ? ???????????? ? ??? ???????????? Id?G?|s???AuYlA?s?Ўw lG?sYO?OuIusYSGAE?Ўw ??????AuYlA?s?Ўw ????OuIusYSGAE?Ўw :DQW WR WDNH XS JROI EXW EHZLOGHUHG E\ ZKHUH WR VWDUW" -RLQ .DQHII*ROI IRU RXU )5(( /DGLHV 3DUHQW &KLOG &OLQLFV KIIG?GE GA ?GGU ;DA? lS??OS :?u?? I? YG? OuIG?? Al |A?s?? <AYGII Ў???G? sY lSG 'd ? tG?uu I? Y lSG dA?s usUG ??uG? AYE Gls??GllG AYE UGGlSG ??sYO sY?l??sY l A wsYsw?w? l?sYO ?uGu? Y lSG dA?s? W?G??GOs?l?AlsY s? ?G??s?GE AYE ? s? uswslGE? &? EAlG? AYE ulsY?? GA?G |s?sl ????UAYGIIOuI?Ўw www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, May 5, 2011 10