You are a part of a large cost-sharing party. It’s perhaps not the first thing you think about when you book a night at one of our hotels. Maybe you don’t even know about it. But because of our guests, because of people like you, we are able to help people in need.
Did you know that every time you stay at one of our hotels, you are helping children who are victimized by human trafficking to get the safe night they’re dreaming of? Strawberry has collaborated with UNICEF since 2008. Our project “Sweet Dreams” aims to give children 100 000 safe nights every year.
Every year 1.2 million children are victims of human trafficking. That’s as many as in all of Norway. Imagine if it was your child?
One of UNICEF’s efforts to fight human trafficking in Cambodia is to provide paid work for poor women. The reality is that parents are forced to sell their children in order to feed their families. By receiving vocational training and paid work, the women can support their families. This way children are enabled to attend school, to be with their loved ones and to sleep safe at night.
One of the centres that UNICEF supports are Mitha Samlanh. Here we meet many families who have been given a new opportunity to create a better future. They receive job training and paid work. While their mothers work, the children go to school. The youngest children go to kindergarten at the centre. One of the women we meet tell us that she came to the centre to leave her children. She had no income and could no longer provide for them. Instead the centre offered her a job, which means that she now can build a future with her children again.
To reach our goal of 100 000 safe nights every year, one of the measures is to sell these beautiful bracelets that are made by women at the centre in Cambodia. You can buy them at our hotels for 89 NOK and all of the profits are donated to UNICEF in our joint fight against human trafficking. The bracelets are all one-of-a-kind, and every bead is made from recycled paper. Sweet dreams are made of paper.
So many people need our help, your help. At times this can feel overwhelming and it is difficult to know how we as individuals** can help in the best possible way. Therefore we believe that it is especially important that larger businesses like Strawberry take their part of the responsibility. Through our partnership with UNICEF we can make a difference — together. Every little bit helps, and many bits help even more.
Buy a bracelet the next time you visit us, and decorate yourself with good conscience!
