Interviewed by Heide Dangelo
DR. PRINCESS JENNIFER LEE
SPIRITUAL HEALER,HUMANITARIAN, HEALTH & SPIRITUALCOACH
IPM: A “Be- Cause” Project. A “Cause Funding” What is the Cause:
Princess Jennifer: The center will benefit women and youths who we call “OVERCOMERS” rescued from Sex, Slavery, Human and Organ trafficking in Nigeria, West Africa and the state of Arizona USA.
Our GOAL is to raise funds to build the Clothing & Jewelry Factory & Vocational center. The Budget to build and equip this center and manufacturing outfit is $200,000.00 and $150,000 to add a Grow farm project.
A grow farm project is a Humanitarian and investment project that will make a profit to continue building more vocational centers and be able to feed all the beneficiaries, workers and low-income schools around us. Thereby running a self-sustainable Humanitarian & Investment project.
As reported over the past five years, Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Nigerian trafficking victims are recruited from rural areas especially the country’s southern regions and, to a lesser extent, urban areas.
Millions of men, women, and children in the world are victims of smugglers. People are bought and sold like livestock for sexual exploitation and slave labor. This trade swept the entire world and turned into a profitable business. Now it is more profitable than Heroin, Marijuana & Cocaine.
The human trafficking statistics in Nigeria and Arizona are frightening. We hear more terrible stories about kidnapping and human trafficking every-day. This insidious issue continues to grow in our country USA as well, to a very shocking and serious condition.
Human trafficking in Arizona is real. Arizona is #1 in Human trafficking in the USA. Human Trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced labor. As it occurs in the state of Arizona and many states in America, it is recognized today as a modern-day form of slavery.
Our Organization started with HIV/AIDS in 1992, when AIDS was a taboo word in Africa. We started with medical missions, conducting confidential testing and educating people on prevention, care and support for patients as well as their families. These people needed medication, advocacy, support, and care. We found out that most of our patients were prostitutes as we were able to gain the trust of most of these women as they told us some horror stories of how some of them were sold into slavery to pay up family debts. I could not fathom this type of injustice because I thought these were just stories to make themselves look more like victims. Until we saw the visible, psychological and mental scars on some of these women.
Our team stepped in to help as many as we could. Many years have passed and most of these women and youths are now educated, trained, and are contributing individual in our society today.
As an evangelical preacher, I have traveled to many countries to preach and I have been fortunate to be in a position of Spiritual counselor where people would confide in me. The stories are similar. Many people who have either been rescued or escaped from sex, human trafficking have shared their stories with me. This made my blood boil over to know that this is a problem that no one wants to talk about. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was taboo to even say there was HIV in Africa.
I began to do my due diligence and I found out that thousands of children and women have trafficked out of Nigeria alone every year. I went home to Africa to find grass-roots organizations that are working with sex workers and it was like opening a Pandora’s box. I could not sleep for days, I started thinking about all the movies, drama and TV programs like Justice Network I watch in America. This is how the Amber Alert network started. Young children are snatched, and they disappear underground in 24-48 hours.
I reached out to Organizations in Nigeria that are working underground to rescue these victims. It is threatening, vicious and scary. Only because human life or organs are now more valuable than Marijuana, Cocaine, and Meth.
The question I asked myself after all the people are rescued, what’s next????
This made us to decide to create a center that offers Empowerment, Vocation, Training, Rehabilitation and Mental health: the foundation for Operation Heart to Heart’s training & vocational center.
IPM: Is Sex, Forced Slavery, Human & Organ Trafficking only an African Problem?
Princess Jennifer: No this is a Global Problem. Human trafficking is not just a Nigeria problem. It is a Global Problem. Cancer that must be CUT OUT. Trafficked Nigerian women and children are recruited from rural areas within the country’s borders – women and girls for involuntary domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, and boys for forced labor in street vending, domestic servitude, mining, and begging.
Nigeria is top among African countries where thousands of women and children are trafficked illegally to destinations abroad, Europe, America, and Asia.
The International Organization for Migration said around 11,000 women and 3,000 children who arrived by sea in Italy in 2016 were from Nigeria.
Eighty percent (80%), of all women and girls arriving from Nigeria to Europe, Asia and America are potential victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. This statistic is on the rise.
Traffickers are “inhuman and barbaric,” and when caught the ultimate punishment should be to face prosecution, but unfortunately African countries don’t have the same kind of Justice and advocacy rights as citizens of European countries do. I hope that some of the people we help will grow up and become activists to change things on the continent.
IPM: Why is it important to rehabilitate survivors?
Princess Jennifer: It has become increasingly obvious to those of us who have brought awareness to trafficking that the only way to successfully end trafficking is for states to hold abusers accountable. This needs to be a worldwide agreement. This will also allow a remedy to the underlying human rights abuses that created the conditions for trafficking.
Much has been said about the root causes of trafficking; poverty, slavery, using of children by parents for debt payment, discrimination, particularly against women, children, and minorities, lack of accountability on the part of Government and state officials and workers, violence, lack of advocacy, justice and general insecurity often related to armed conflict. These are significant human rights violations that explain, in part, why human beings end up at the mercy of traffickers who trap victims in debt bondage and slavery-like conditions.
Sometimes, in a rush to accomplish other goals, such as prosecuting the traffickers, states focus on victims for the information they can provide or their usefulness to the criminal justice system. The danger is that states treat the victims as merely a pawn in a struggle between the state and the trafficker not as a human needing service and deserving of respect.
I could go into detail about the need for housing, clothing, food, mental health, medical attention. And other necessities, the importance of counseling, medical care, legal advice, access to job training & empowerment programs and education. Realistically, the challenge for us is not identifying the services that victims of trafficking need to survive and grow. The challenge that we face is in getting people to see and respect, at the most basic level, the humanity of all victims and to get government officials in Africa to work with victims/survivor in a way that demonstrates their commitment to the protecting the equality and dignity of all human beings. These victims become Victors and survivors that must be respected as we get them properly rehabilitated, educated so that they now become passionate powerful contributing people and leaders in their communities.
IPM: What drives you to do this work?
Princess Jennifer: I have a love for God and the people He created, I believe that I have been put in this world to make a difference. For me to whom much is given much is required. I have been blessed to know the deep love of a Heavenly Father and this Love is what the world seeks in the wrong places. So, my call and assignment is to demonstrate the Love of God to all humanity, regardless of race or color.
I also believe that there is greatness in all men, if they can be stirred right, they will grow to do the right thing. My motivation is based on the simple fact that I got a Clarion call to preach the Gospel and empower people in all nations of the world.
And I am doing that and will continue to do it. But then my Continent needs me and needs all that I have learned in my 29 plus years in America. It is time to take back to Nigeria and Africa, what many takes for granted here in America. I want to take the Freedom, accountability, patriotism, and advocacy, back home to help my people. And make sure that they never get to the point that they FORGET THE MANY THAT DIED & FOUGHT FOR THEIR FREEDOM. Or be ungrateful by going against a God that loves them and has given so much. Every act of Human abuse and degradation is against HUMANITY.
IPM: What are the risks involved for overcomers and those who help them?
Princess Jennifer: Re-victimization and heartache on the part of the people helping them because of lack of sympathy or empathy from people. Then we also must talk about security. That is why we must get Christian law enforcement trained and involved in Rescuing. My team focuses on our collective strengths and rehabilitation on all levels.
We are fund raising for this project “Be-cause”
Be part of the Fundraising Cause “Be-cause”
100-200 men and women who have been rescued from sex and trafficking, will be rehabilitated and empowered to live a secured life in Prosperity, Peace, and Love.
Be- cause all humans are equal and it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to save lives all around the world.
What can you do? Be part of that Cause. Because you know what it means to know a cause and do a great thing Just Be-cause you know it is Right.
What is the GOAL we want to Achieve with this “Be-cause” fundraising?
· Assist Africa to be SELF SUFFICIENT by assisting these Rescued Women & youths.
· Bring Prosperity Peace & Unity. “LET THE HEALING BEGIN”
· Eradicate and completely STOP Slavery (Enforced Labor) Sex, Human and Organ Trafficking.
· STOP Victims from been pulled back in.
· STOP Terror, Deaths, Bloodshed & PAIN associated with Slavery, Sex. Human & Organ Trafficking.
· Build Sustainable Businesses from Humanitarian funding
· Provide basic Utilities and Amenities like Clean Water
· Education and Vocational training
· Eradicate Poverty
· Eradicate Hunger
· Eradicate Unemployment
· STOP War
· STOP human, sex and organ trafficking
·
Eradicate Homelessness
· Reduce Sickness & Disease
· Teach PATRIOTISM
What do we do next after the Vocational center is established running and making a profit?
1. We will send 4 qualified trainers from Nigeria to Atlanta Arizona and other participating cities in the US. To train other women who have been rescued from sex, human and organ trafficking in the US too. This will be Africa giving back to America.
2. Clothes and beads made will be exported to America and Europe and sold online.
3. Profit will be shared with the workers and profit will be used to train more people so that this becomes a piece of machinery that fuels itself and later other humanitarian projects in Africa.
Help us build, “Dare to Dream Big Intl” an Operation Heart to Heart Org project which is an empowerment and training vocational center and manufacturing Clothing, Bags, Shoes & Beaded Jewelry factory.
Dr. Princess Jennifer Lee is an Apostle, a Prophtess of repute, Life, Health, Wellness and Spiritual Coach, Teacher, Public Speaker, Author, International Evangelist, International Global Business Consulatant, Humanitairian and Philanthopist with heart of compassion to serve the uncerserved. Transcending cultural, tribal, color and denonational barriers, her powerful message of “OF HOPE” resonates among people from every walks of life. With a faith so strong, Princess Jennifer Lee eaches about “Can’Do” spirit and faith in Jesus Christ to manifest your Dunamis and Exousia Power within you.
She is the Funder of Princess Jennifer Lee Ministries and Operation Heart to Heart Org.
https://www.operationhearttoheart.org/ LinkedIn: Dr. Jennifer Lee
FB: Princess Jennifer Lee www.trevo.life/princesslee www.princessjenniferleeministries.org +1 518 505 7838
About The Author
