Support Changed Lives

With your support we changed lives.

ACRATH’s 2021 fundraising campaign has beaten all expectations, thanks to your generosity. We reached our campaign target of $150,000 in a year that proved difficult for many people.

“This campaign result shows how committed our supporters are to eliminating human trafficking and provides greater hope that together we will bring an end to modern day slavery,” said ACRATH President Sr Louise Cleary. “We have so much to thank you for.”

This year ACRATH, with your help, has been able to support, advocate for, create awareness of and provide companionship to, many victim/survivors of human trafficking. COVID meant that once again we had to do things differently, mostly apart, but always keeping the trafficked person at the centre of our work.

We reached more than 500 of you through our Conversation series over five months. We spoke to dozens of politicians, via zoom, in a bid to improve outcomes for trafficked people. Importantly, both of these initiatives informed more people about human trafficking and the impact here in Australia and globally.

We thank you for your donations, your prayers, your attendance at events (online and in person) and most of all your willingness to play your part in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

Your generosity has meant:

• • A young victim/survivor of human trafficking, supported by an ACRATH Companion for several years, was able to get long overdue eye surgery.
  • Our four years of advocacy for the 22 seasonal workers from Vanuatu, who were exploited in Australia and left with almost no wages, finally led to Act of Grace payments for the men. This was a partnership with our ACRATH membership, with civil society colleagues, and at least 38 people in Parliament and departmental roles.
  • Our staff and volunteer teams pivoted during pandemic lockdowns into major new tech-assisted initiatives to engage effectively in regions across Australia and internationally. We trained front-line workers in education and healthcare on identifying indicators of forced marriage and we built support connections with overseas partners for trafficked people overseas who have been exploited by Australian citizens.
  • ACRATH, in partnership with St John of God Health Care embarked on a major formation-training program, offered to 563 leaders from its facilities in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

Many religious congregations have been long-time donors to ACRATH with major cash and in-kind donations. Sr Louise said regular donations to ACRATH guarantee that our advocacy, training and victim/survivor support programs can continue into the future and enable us to plan with confidence.

Monthly donors, the Presentation Sisters from Tasmania, captured the sentiment of many:

“We are aware that sadly, there are many who are unable to exercise their God-given rights over who they are and how they live as that freedom is taken from them. They are prevented by others from being able to make choices as to how they live their life and are forced to become the property of others.

Trafficking of humans is evil personified by those who inflict it on their fellow human beings. In the developed world it is mostly hidden from sight but is no less real.

Our Sisters are grateful for the opportunity to contribute financially in some small way, to assist in eradicating this evil from our world so that our sisters and brothers can freely choose to live their life to their fullest potential, as Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness” (Jn 10:10).“

This year is coming to an end and it is also a time of coming together. Our States and Territories are beginning to open up and hopefully you will get to spend Christmas with your families and friends. Enjoy the time over summer with your friends and families and we wish you all a very Happy and blessed Christmas.

Louise Cleary csb (President)
Christine Carolan (Executive Officer)