LIFT UP THE VULNERABLE INC

Lift Up the Vulnerable (LUV) is an ecumenical Christian mission organization that prevents the trafficking and oppression of vulnerable children and women in warzones. In conflict zones such as Sudan and South Sudan, which are marked by violence and extreme poverty, the most vulnerable are kidnapped as child soldiers, sold as sex slaves, and trapped in forced labor. Our solution is a holistic empowerment model that prevents trafficking and empowers children and women to thrive as change agents in their own lives and communities. Since 2005, our leaders have a proven track record of effectively navigating and building partnerships in warzones and lawless lands. Through the only indigenously directed anti-human trafficking network spanning Sudan and South Sudan, LUV provides protection, education, and economic development to eliminate the exploitation of vulnerabilities, provide freedom, and restore hope. We envision a world where vulnerable children and women are empowered, and, through them, war-torn nations are transformed.

Preventing human trafficking in warzones requires an agile, integrative approach — addressing extreme poverty, instability, lack of infrastructure and resources, which leave millions in Sudan and South Sudan vulnerable or exploited. Women and children are at the highest risk. We take a holistic approach by extending practical training, tangible support, and spiritual care to empower change agents in their own lives and worlds. The following essential resources are critical components to addressing vulnerabilities and preventing exploitation and trafficking:

1) Protection: We provide safe housing, food and nutrition, clean water, and preventative and emergency medical care for vulnerable children, women, and the elderly who have no other options. We understand that these basic necessities establish a foundation for life and serve as vital resources for building community.

2) Education: Children are provided with formal education from pre-K through high school. Adults are offered continuing education through literacy, higher education, and vocational training. Spiritual mentoring is available for all to encourage, support, and inspire. Through each aspect of this program, it is our goal to see bodies protected, minds expanded, and hearts transformed.

3) Economic Empowerment: Grassroots economic development is a game-changer for transitioning aid-dependent and insecure communities toward empowerment. Investing in children and women to be independent and innovative is a key requirement to help transform communities and reduce vulnerabilities.

LUV goes where trafficking of the vulnerable is high and little to no other help is available. Since 2005, our leaders have a proven track record of effectively navigating and building partnerships in warzones and lawless lands. Through the only indigenously directed anti-human trafficking network spanning Sudan and South Sudan, LUV provides protection, education, and economic development to eliminate the exploitation of vulnerabilities, provide freedom, and restore hope.

LUV’s core competency is to provide total infrastructure support to the most vulnerable children and women in the warzones of Sudan and South Sudan. This infrastructure includes: clean water, food, housing, healthcare, education, mentorship, and community development opportunities. In addition, the following core competencies demonstrate how we approach our unique mission:

a) Warzones: LUV goes specifically to conflict zones and lawless places where there are little to no other organizations offering care; where there are little to no other resources; and where basic infrastructures are not available (food, water, roads, education, etc). LUV provides total care for the most vulnerable children and women in wartime.

b) Poverty+: In warzones we find that the combination of Poverty+ creates a perfect storm contributing to the vulnerable being most at-risk and exploited: Poverty+ orphan-hood; poverty+ civil unrest/war; poverty+ cultural issues; poverty+ lack of education. In Sudan and South Sudan all of these issues affect entire communities and especially the children and women we protect.

c) Indigenous Leadership: To participate in effective change-making in lawless lands, LUV builds partnerships with indigenous directors and their local staff to creatively address the issues affecting the vulnerable in culturally appropriate ways. Together, we determine specific steps and strategies to provide consistent, sustainable care for the children and women under our care. LUV offers much ‘boots-on-the-ground’ time at each location to deepen trustworthy relationships with these vital human resources and experts in their areas.

In 2020, LUV has offered the most vulnerable in Sudan and South Sudan:

Protection: We provide basic needs to ensure the safety of vulnerable people. Including:
---safe housing for 927 at-risk children.
---coronavirus prevention soap distribution for an additional 501 community beneficiaries in two locations.
---food distribution for 1,655 children plus 212 staff.

Education: We increase the capacity for children and adults to grow academically and spiritually. Including:
---k-12 education, vocational training and spiritual guidance to 1,655 students

Economic Development: We support local income generation, agribusiness innovation, and other initiatives to ensure self-sustainability. Including:
---launching a combined 50 acres of agriculture development at three sites to grow food independence.

In the next five years we will take strategic steps to scale up our farming initiatives to over 400 acres. At each of our sites LUV’s partnership will enable the entire community to restore hope and tear down exploitative cycles by building their own income-generating systems. At maximum capacity, we anticipate our farm project will serve approximately 24,500 individuals. This replicable program produces crops that are both nutritional and diverse and also includes beekeeping, animal husbandry and nutrition education.