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About Us

Background:

Mission Jade was formed in 2018 by Bonnie Marino to help the under-served population of male child trafficking victims. By using holistic approaches and survivor-centered empowerment, we strive to abolish child slavery by providing specialized services for mind, body, and soul.

Mission:

Our mission is to prevent child labor trafficking in Guatemala by addressing barriers to education, providing opportunities to children engaged in hazardous work, and facilitating prevention education to primary schools and indigenous communities.

Vision:

Every child deserves a chance at Joy, Abundance, Development, and Education. We envision a world where all children get that chance.

Our Core Values

Future Generations

The empowerment and education of trafficked survivors will only ensure a sustainable progressive future for their individual communities.

Environmental Awareness

At Mission J.A.D.E., we understand that being stewards of our environment will ensure a healthy world to sustain life.

Making a Difference

We believe transitioning survivors of exploitation into being positive contributors of society can only create a significant impact in our world.

Facts About Human Trafficking in Guatemala

Traffickers particularly target indigenous Guatemalans, including children, for forced labor, including in tortilla-making shops in Guatemala and foreign countries.

Children in Guatemala are engaged in the worst forms of child labor.

Indigenous children account for more than half of child laborers in Guatemala, and children in rural areas are more likely to work than children in urban areas.

Guatemala has the highest percentage of chronically malnourished children in Latin America and the fourth highest in the world

Global statistics on human trafficking indicate that men and boys represent half of the total number of human trafficking victims, yet the identification and proper care of male victims remains an enormous challenge to governments and care providers around the world.

Due to the misidentification of human trafficking victims, the number of male victims is higher than reported.

Traffickers exploit Guatemalan children in forced begging, street vending, and as street performers, particularly within Guatemala City and along the border with Mexico. Child victims’ families are often complicit in their exploitation.

As reported over the past five years by TVPA, traffickers exploit Guatemalan men, women, and children in forced labor within the country, often in agriculture or domestic service, and in the garment industry and domestic service in Mexico, the United States, and other countries.