Plan International “Donate a Pencil for Girls” Campaign 2024 – End Human Trafficking, Rewrite Girls’ Future

Education is the key for girls to reverse gender inequality. In developing countries, millions of girls are vulnerable to human trafficking, which robs them of their freedom and potential. Due to poverty, and a lack of awareness, innocent girls often become targets for traffickers, facing the unbearable circumstances of separation from their families, forced labour, violence, or sexual exploitation.

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Girls Drugged and Trafficked to India, Enduring 17 Years of Sexual Exploitation

The border between Nepal and India stretches over 1,750 kilometers. Due to the lack of rigorous border control, it has frequently been exploited by criminals as a trafficking route for decades. Countless girls lost their freedom and youth. Samikshya*, who lives in a rural village in Nepal, was forced to drop out of school due to poverty. At the age of 16, she was approached by a stranger claiming to be her sister’s friend, who told her that her sister urgently needed care because of a serious illness. Anxious and worried, Samikshya decided to take the train to visit her. However, as the train moved, Samikshya felt unconscious and later found herself trapped in a small room with other young girls, never seeing the light of day again. “No matter how much I pleaded, they remained unmoved.” After being drugged and trafficked to India, her youth came to an abrupt end, plunging her into 17 years of sexual exploitation. The long-term experience of sex work brought physically and mentally trauma to Samikshya, and she suffered a serious illness that left her paralysed. Seventeen years later, upon regaining her freedom and returning to her hometown, she discovered that her parents had already passed away, and the inability to reunite with her family became a lifelong regret for Samikshya.

Woman Trafficked and Trapped in Kuwait, Rescued by Youth Club from the Community

According to the 2022 Nepal Human Rights Report, approximately 40,300 Nepalis were trafficked between 2020 and 2021, with most of them being women and girls. In Nepal, it is estimated that 1.9 million people face the risk of being trafficked. Shina*, a 20-years-old girl lost her father at a young age and was raised by her mother, Rabina*, who struggled to support her and her three siblings alone. In her desperate attempt to secure her children’s education, Rabina fell prey to a human trafficking agent and was lured to Kuwait. Once there, she was imprisoned by her employer, trapped in a nightmarish reality of forced labor. Enduring long hours of work and relentless abuse, Rabina only received one meal a day. Her dreams of a brighter future for her children quickly turned into a nightmare.

Shina finally received a phone call from her mother after a few months and knew the shocking situation. She immediately collaborated with the Youth Club supported by Plan International and successfully rescued her mother and brought her home. Now, Shina has become an active advocate, raising awareness among youth and women against human trafficking in her community.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

Pencils that Empower: Join Us at Malls to Protect Nepal Girls from Trafficking

Through education, girls are equipped with the knowledge and skills to break free from this cycle of vulnerability. Education not only empowers girls but also raises awareness within communities about the dangers of trafficking, fostering a protective environment where girls can flourish.

This year’s “Donate a Pencil for Girls” event is scheduled from 10^th October to 10^th November, 2024 to raise funds for vulnerable girls in Nepal to receive education. It aims to provide learning necessities and facilities for students while also raising awareness in the community, among parents, and youth about preventing human trafficking. It supports vulnerable girls in continuing their education, empowering them to create a brighter future with knowledge.

The public is invited to show their support by purchasing and donating pencils at the malls listed below, spreading love to girls in developing countries. Additionally, attendees can enjoy mini-games that highlight the impact of human trafficking on girls and receive a small gift upon completion!

Let’s join us in making a difference!

Date	Time	Venue
10* – 13 October 2024	11am – 8pm	Telford Plaza 1 #
17 – 20 October 2024	11am – 9pm	MOSTown (pencil collection only)
24 – 27 October 2024	11am – 9pm	Maritime Square 1 #
1 – 4 November 2024	11am – 9pm	Citywalk 2#
7 – 10 November 2024	11am – 9pm	Tai Po Mega Mall (pencil collection only)

 #Mini-games and ballon twisting are available
#Mini-games opening hours: 11am to 7pm
Ballon twisting opening hours: 1pm to 7pm (Friday to Sunday)
*Ceremony on 10 October 12 pm  to 1pm. Mini-games and Ballon twisting will open from 2pm to 8pm

Online Pencil Donation for a Social Cause – A Heartfelt Applause

If you cannot join us in person for the mall-based pencil sale, we warmly invite you to support the “Donate a Pencil for Girls” initiative through our online platform. By simply purchasing pencils online, you can make a meaningful impact. The funds raised will be used to buy essential educational materials for the disadvantaged students in Nepal *1.

Join us and spread love to vulnerable girls by  empowering them to continue their studies and build a brighter future. Your pencil donation will also support our educational projects in Nepal, raising awareness and protecting girls from the threats of human trafficking.

• Donate 10 pencils at HK$100, while also providing educational materials, including notebooks and colouring pencils etc. for a girl in Nepal.
• Donate 30 pencils at HK$300, while also providing 1 set of education materials, including notebooks, coloring pencils, a school bag for a girl in Nepal.
• Donate 60 pencils at HK$600, while also providing a set of educational materials, including notebooks, colouring pencils, a school bag etc. for 2 girls in Nepal.
• Donate 100 pencils at HK$1,000, while also providing a set of educational materials, including notebooks, colouring pencils and a school bag etc. for 4 girls in Nepal.

Seven corporates including China Everbright Greentech Limited, Deckers Asia Pacific Limited, Hendorson Property Management Department – Team of Care, King’s Flair Development Limited, Mediterranean Shipping Company (Hong Kong) Limited, Meiriki Japan Co., Limited, Spa Collection will make a matching donation to amplify the impact of your generosity*2. In other words, for every HK$100 you donate, each corporate will match up an extra HK$100 donation, equivalent to HK$800 to Plan International Hong Kong ! Donate now!

*1 Donors will not receive any pencils purchased. Plan International Hong Kong will arrange to send the pencils to needy students in Nepal.
*2 Upper limit for corporates’ match-up donation is HK$100,000, and the event runs until 17 November.
*Above company names are listed in alphabetical order.
#Donate HK$100 or above is eligible for a tax-deductible receipt.

(The online pencil donation campaign has ended. Thank you for your support!)

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Event Highlights of 2023 Campaign

All pencils collected last year were sent to children in Bangladesh. All donations were used to support our educational projects in Bangladesh to provide students with learning necessities. Thank you for your generous support—your contributions have truly made a meaningful impact!

Acknowledgment