Free2Walk returns to stop slavery

Human trafficking is about to get schooled, all courtesy of two humanitarian high school students.

Corissa Tymafichuk and Andrea Payne are lacing up to stamp out the problem. The two Grade 11 students from Paul Kane are bringing Free2Walk, their awareness event, back this weekend, and they’re hoping to bring a schoolyard full of their friends and supporters

They make no bones about it: human trafficking has to stop.

“Human trafficking is modern day slavery,” Tymafichuk said. “It’s an issue that’s happening all over our world and even in our own backyards.”

“When we first found out about human trafficking, we were in Grade 8,” Payne explained, referring to a YouTube video that they had viewed as part of their involvement with the Social Justice club at Sir George Simpson Junior High School.

“It was basically a Hollywood portrayal of human trafficking. It was a little dramatic, but at the same time, it’s such a horrible thing. You can’t really over-emphasize how terrible this is. We couldn’t believe it was happening.”

“We thought that we needed to do something about it,” Tymafichuk added.

After the self-proclaimed “Backyard Abolitionists” moved up to Grade 10, they took it upon themselves to find a way to get both their school and the community at large involved in working towards a solution. They became involved with PK’s Social Justice League and learned more about Free2Walk.

Free2Walk is part of a larger movement that was started by an American organization called the Not for Sale Campaign. Payne and Tymafichuk studied the project that aims to free everyone, from bondage of all forms, through business interventions and aid efforts. Human trafficking, the organization determined, has commerce at its roots. People can become commodities or disposable tools of the trade in circumstances where others use power over them in order to make more money for themselves.

The American organization started the Free2Walk effort. The event takes place in more and more communities every year, mostly in the United States but in growing numbers in Canada as well.

The high school duo localized it with much success. Last year, there were approximately 200 people who joined in to support the cause, what they call the “re-abolition of slavery.”

Tymafichuk said that the event has also catalyzed the school club, which made it one of the biggest projects of its year-long calendar. It has also garnered a lot of behind the scenes support with new volunteers – “both staff and students,” she added – who have also appeared on the scene, helping to ease the burden of organizing and spurring the event to new growth and goals.

The local event features a 2-km walk around downtown St. Albert along with some fun, family-friendly activities. The organizers have prepared tea-light lanterns made of mason jars that attendees can assemble and carry throughout the Perron District, helping to light the way for oppressors to relent and for the oppressed to be released from their shackles.

Payne said that while the event is free to participate, people are encouraged to raise a minimum of $15. Pledge forms are available online as well.

Donations all go to Action Coalition on Human Trafficking, also known as ACT Alberta, a provincial organization that works to combat the problem here.

The group’s website at free2walkstalbert.wix.com/2014 states that “Men, women, and children around the world are trafficked and subjected to terrible abuse and exploitation. The modern-day slave trade is a $32 billion-dollar-a-year business and one of the fastest growing industries.”

It is estimated that there are more than 32 million slaves around the world, including in Canada.

More information about the Free2Walk campaign can be found at www.notforsalecampaign.org.

They two expect that the event will continue next year as well. Their fundraising goal for this year is to collect $3,000 in pledges.