ARUNA PROJECT
For her freedom
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Human trafficking affects virtually every nation on the planet. In particular locations, certain factors coalesce to enable traffickers to thrive on vulnerable women and girls, primarily from poor and uneducated backgrounds. Those set free are often re-trafficked. We operate with some of the most dense areas of sex trafficking to not only bring freedom but also sustain freedom through employment supported by holistic care.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Aruna Runs
We mobilize thousands across the US in Aruna Runs to run/walk for a trafficked woman by name to raise awareness of her need and funds to help bring her freedom through outreach efforts in high trafficking areas.
Freedom Business (Private limited company)
We create exceptional Athleisure products that serve our customer to build her confidence and serve our employees by creating pathways out of trafficking through employment opportunity in an environment supported by holistic care.
Training Center
Through daily time spent in the brothel system, we accelerate the freedom process for trafficked women by empowering them with confidence and skill and trade development to step into sustainable employment and long term freedom.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of women in a growing relationship of trust in the Brothel System
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Training Center
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Trafficked women in the brothel system with whom we are developing a relationship of trust through daily outreach in the brothels, training center events, Skill & Trade Development, & TFCBT.
Percentage of women in the Freedom Business showing personal development growth
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Freedom Business (Private limited company)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We seek to ensure there is a qualitative work being done along side the quantitative work. This metric measures the current Aruna Artisans that are growing in their emotional and mental health.
Number of women freed, empowered, and employed in our Freedom Business
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Freedom Business (Private limited company)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This is the number of women that are freed from commercial sexual exploitation, empowered with the liberating power of choice, and sustainably employed full-time in our Freedom Business.
Number of family members served as a result of our employment program.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Freedom Business (Private limited company)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Aa result of being freed and employed, Artisans' families risk of trafficking has significantly decreased and their quality of life has significantly increased.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We exist to bring and sustain freedom for those with lived experience of sex trafficking. We do so through financially incentivized skill and trade development and employment supported by holistic care.
We are a direct means of freedom for women with lived experience of human trafficking by freeing, employing and empowering. In the Freedom Business we provide a living wage 4-5xs the amount for unskilled laborers in the region, medical insurance, ongoing trauma counseling, holistic care and contributions into a Provident Fund for Artisan retirement. Additionally, by creating sustainable freedom for freed women, the women's children, siblings, friends and other family members are no longer at risk of being trafficked.
We are executing our current strategic plan that will position us to reach the following goals by the end of 2023:
-employed over 150 women who are freed and empowered,
-prevent over 400 children, siblings, family friends, from being sold into the brothel system,
-have 3 training centers in one of the largest red light areas in all of South Asia and two additional tracking locations,
-have established sales channels into regional and national retail outlets
-have an established US distribution center that is employing young women who have been freed from sex trafficking in the US.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Aruna Project's three primary strategies are:
1) Non-Profit: creating a volunteer movement through the Aruna Runs and
2) Non-Profit: bring freedom, confidence, & skill and trade development through our Training Center in the heart of the brothel system
3) For-Profit: employ those freed from sex trafficking to create a safe, stable, dignified career that redefines the entire trajectory of life for each survivor and their dependents and close family members. As well as, develop a significant customer base marked by tremendous brand loyalty to our product offering to ensure long term sustainability.
The three strategies above (non-profit and for-profit) will enable us to continue to grow the amount of participants in the Aruna Runs to grow awareness, increase revenue, and develop a larger market into which we can market the Aruna products. We have a significant amount of resources to onboard new Aruna Run Race Hosts and thus grow the number of Aruna Runs. We also have distilled out the best practices of growing these events to include thousands and thousands across the US into the cause.
Our current product offering is profitable and growing. Our new collection of functional luxury athleisure accessories made with Blue sign certified fabrics and elevated trims is competing well within the open market. After increasing our production capacity we will look to expand beyond our e-commerce platform into brick and mortar boutiques, and then into larger retail outlets through shows in New YorK City and LA. As we increase sales, we can increase the amount of women freed, empowered, and employed.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have indigenous leadership on the ground in South Asia that are experts in the field of Aftercare, Business Management, and Tailoring.
We have a tremendous team in the US that has great experience and expertise in product design, event management (Aruna Runs) and supply chain management.
We have a Board of Directors with diversified skill sets and experience that rounds out meeting our needs.
We are determined.
We are committed.
We are relentless.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
HAVE Accomplished:
We have a growing volunteer movement across the US. More specifically, through Aruna Runs in states from California to Wisconsin to Pennsylvania we have thousands involved in learning about sex trafficking and taking steps to combat it through running for an enslaved women by name and raising funds to help free, empower, and employ her.
We have Training Centers in the heart of the Red Light areas intent on freeing women from the area through a skill and trade development program that offers trauma focused cognitive behavioral counseling so that the women can start the healing process.
We have an Indian Private Limited Company exporting high quality functional luxury athleisure accessories to the US. This is a result of hiring and developing a team of highly qualified staff within their specific area of expertise. From Business Management to Artisan Care and Development to Tailoring Training, our staff have created both a culture of care and of excellence and the Artisans are thriving.
We have transitional homes as options for those freed from trafficking. Additionally, we have a production facility that is a stark contrast to the brothels from which the Artisans have come. The facility is on the 2nd floor of a commercial building with two exterior walls being all windows that allows for the room to always be flooded with light.
We have employed almost 120 Artisans who are free, empowered and employed. We have prevented trafficking of 350+ children, family and others. We are seeing exceptional Artisan development professionally and personally.
HAVE NOT Accomplished:
There are thousands still languishing in areas where our Training Centers are located and millions more globally.
We have not established as many sales channels as desired.
We have not build out a communication plan to aid in greater brand loyalty.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
ARUNA PROJECT
Board of directorsas of 02/28/2023
Steve Simpson
Procter & Gamble (retired)
Term: 2019 - 2023
JM Bohm
Federal Government
Cory Carlson
Five Capitals | HartCo
Steve Simpson
Procter & Gamble
Ryan Berg
Aruna Project
Jenn Faust
Faust Global Partners
Maddie Bell
Procter & Gamble
Augie Lange
Retired CFO
Lauren Tiffan
Transition Accelerator
William Adjei
CBRE
Philip Williamson
Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data