Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The injustice of human trafficking respects no boundaries. Modern slavery is not a small problem, and it is not limited to a specific region or population. It is present in nearly every community, near and far. It is estimated that there are over 40 million people enslaved around the world today, with over 400,000 trapped in this exploitation in the United States alone (Global Slavery Index). The human trafficking industry generates profits of more than $150 billlion a year (International Labor Organization) -- more than the annual income of Nike, Google and Starbucks combined. The scope of this problem, combined with the impact on both individual survivors and society as a whole, are why Free for Life International is working to combat the injustice using a sustainable, multi-level approach.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Outreach & Awareness
Free for Life works to equip individuals and strengthen communities through education and outreach. Our goal is to create concerned citizens who can identify and appropriately respond to potential trafficking scenarios around them. Every person educated is an opportunity to restore freedom to someone in need.
Prevention Education
Free for Life developed a first-of-its-kind Prevention Curriculum to empower at-risk youth across languages, regions and cultures.
Traffickers are often not masked strangers taking children from their homes. More commonly, they look like family members, friends or significant others.
This is why the curriculum was created to teach youth about healthy boundaries, safe support networks and how to prevent, identify and respond to potential trafficking situations they may encounter.
Border Monitoring & Rescue
Free for Life’s cornerstone program is border monitoring between India and Nepal. At our station — located in Panitanki, India — trained staff members identify warning signs and intervene to rescue victims. This unique approach is highly effective within the region, and one of the most ethical forms of rescue to exist.
Shelters
Free for Life currently partners with short-term facilities located near our border monitoring station, as well as a long-term home in Thailand. At our Thai home, women and girls live in a family-style environment, where there is no time limit on their recovery. The survivors are encouraged to stay until they have completed their education — an important step towards ending the multi-generational slavery in this region.
Survivor Scholarships
Free for Life provides one of the only survivor-focused scholarship funds in the country! Through this program, we walk hand-in-hand with survivors as they achieve their educational dreams.
FFLI scholarship recipients also participate in the Career Mentor Program, which pairs each with qualified mentors. These relationships assist students with professional and educational development as they prepare to step fully in their new lives of 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 individuals intercepted and restored to freedom from human trafficking or at-risk situations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Border Monitoring & Rescue
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of academic scholarships awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Survivor Scholarships
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Survivor Scholarships
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of individuals trained through human trafficking prevention curriculum
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Prevention Education
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn 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?
To be completed by 2026 (20th Anniversary)...
Award 165 scholarships to survivors of human trafficking and exploitation
Expand rescue initiatives in India to include Mumbai and Kolkata--increasing interception reach and support of male minors
Increase targeted support of the most vulnerable and underserved groups: Indigenous peoples, people of color, males, and those in the LGBTQ+ community
Expand support to the full spectrum of trafficking including domestic servitude, child soldiers, bonded labor, organ, and surrogate trafficking
Partner with 50 organizations serving at-risk populations through human trafficking prevention curriculum
Expand international reach to underserved regions and continents including Africa and the Middle East
Deepen relationships with the Hispanic community through prevention efforts in Latin America and the United States
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
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
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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.
Free for Life International
Board of directorsas of 08/12/2021
John Geyerman
Rachel Harmon
PHD Candidate - Emory University
John Geyerman
SVP Strategic Initiatives & Corporate Stores - Saladworks
Tasha Lemley
Founder - The Contributor
Ellen Hagar
Daughters of Charity, Province of Saint Louise; Principal - Elizabeth Seton High School
Caylen Santos
International Programs Director - The Shalom Foundation
John Upperman
Vice President, Procurement - Thermo Fisher Scientific
Harvey Ma
Head of Food & Beverage - Roundel
Dr. Jim Chaney
Assistant Professor - Middle Tennessee State University
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? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
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? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/20/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.