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This year, more than 30 Major League ballplayers, coming from more than a dozen teams, have joined together in the fight against slavery. Each of these players and their families are using their platform to engage fans and communities in ways that make an impact off the field. San Francisco Giants pitcher, Jeremy Affeldt, helped [...]
In partnership with Not For Sale, Australian Cricketers will be joining a growing global team of professional athletes to use their platform, connecting their on-field success to the movement to end modern-day slavery.
Team NFS is a movement of athletes, artists and musicians who are committed to using their skills and passions to make a positive change in the world. How does it work? Individuals pledge to make a donation for a particular on-field achievement. Each time that particular achievement is reached, capital is raised, funding Not For Sale’s efforts to free children from exploitation around the world.
“A lot of people are shocked to hear that there are 30 million people living in slavery today, and [many] of those are children,” Dave Batstone, Not For Sale’s President, said. “So we decided to create a program that not only releases a child from slavery, but provides them a new future.”
The notion is simple; every child should be free to play. Through Team NFS, Not For Sale seeks to mobilize everyday people, providing them with an entry point into activism. Imagine a baseball pitcher striking out an opponent in San Francisco, a cricketer hitting a six in India and a football player scoring a goal in Europe – all fighting child slavery. This narrative, connecting sporting culture to the abolitionist movement, is extremely profound.
Already the platform has attracted incredible support from Major League Baseball in the United States, with over 15 professional baseball players joining Team NFS. Their donations, through Not For Sale’s partners on the ground, helped construct a multi-purpose sports court at the NFS Thailand project, which allows over 100 children access to a safe space for recreation and physical activity including basketball and soccer. Children, who were once vulnerable to extreme exploitation, can now enjoy the rehabilitation that physical activity provides.
Now it’s Australia’s turn: First up, International Cricket. The simple yet powerful idea, that of creating new futures and new identities for once enslaved children, has caught the attention of Australian International Cricketers. With a global fan base of 2.5 billion people, International Cricket has the potential to enact a fundamental cultural shift, while at the same time, creating new futures for some of the most dispossessed and marginalized children in our world.
Ed Cowan, opening batsman for the Australian Cricket Team has become a proud supporter of Not For Sale – joining Team NFS. “When I was growing up, I had the opportunity to dream. I was given every opportunity to play, to grow, to choose my own path, my own destiny. And now, I am lucky enough to play cricket for my country.
This freedom is unfortunately not a reality for many people around the world – especially for many children. Slavery steals that dream, that opportunity…and I want to partner with Not For Sale to help give it back.”
Cowan has pledged $1 to Not For Sale for every run he scores this season, with an extra $50 added to the tally for every century he makes. Given his recent success in England, Cowan has already raised over $500 to fight slavery!
Cowan has also been busy recruiting other cricketers to join the fight. With Australian teammate George Bailey also signing on as a member of Team NFS. Bailey has matched Cowan’s pledge of $1 per run this season; including any runs he scores in the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka this month- for which he is the Australian Captain.
In partnership with Not For Sale, Australian Cricketers will be joining a growing global team of professional athletes to use their platform, connecting their on-field success to the movement to end modern-day slavery.
Team NFS is a movement of athletes, artists and musicians who are committed to using their skills and passions to make a positive change in the world. How does it work? Individuals pledge to make a donation for a particular on-field achievement. Each time that particular achievement is reached, capital is raised, funding Not For Sale’s efforts to free children from exploitation around the world.
The Los Angeles-based rock band, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, has joining Not For Sale to raise awareness and funds in the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Not For Sale began partnering with bands this January to raise funds, awareness, and action around the issue of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. It’s a platform that ties a common experience for everyone (music), with a cause that is fighting a major problem in our world. Previous campaigns featured the Plain White T’s, Tenth Avenue North, Third Day, Enation, and The Wrecking.
Not For Sale in South Africa has recently joined forces with the social networking service Mxit to fight human trafficking in the region. Mxit is Africa’s largest social networking service with over 40 million users in South Africa alone. Through the use of a survey concerning human trafficking on Mxit’s platform, Not For Sale will gain a better understanding into an individual’s knowledge of human trafficking in vulnerable communities. In doing this Not For Sale can not only increase understanding of human trafficking in South Africa, but also work to identify trends of trafficking by region and better assist those that may be vulnerable. Since 2010, Not For Sale South Africa has worked alongside law enforcement to aid in the detection and translation processes as well as help survivors find shelter after being rescued. To date, we have worked to identify and assist almost 80 survivors of trafficking in the region.
This beautiful ring, the first in a new line of handmade, original NFS silver jewelry, was designed by M. As one of the first residents at NFS Thailand, M was inspired and mentored by Kru Nam, a jewelry artist herself.
This weekend, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, went to a friend’s wedding wearing a beautiful floral print dress by Beulah London. The dress was produced at Not For Sale’s Social Venture in Delhi, India. Beulah London actively works to eliminate exploitation in their supply chain, working with NFS’ partner company, Open Hand, to employ at-risk women.
Last Friday, San Francisco Giants first baseman and Team NFS AllStar Brandon Belt apologized to Not For Sale President, Dave Batstone, at the home plate ceremony during the 3rd Annual Free2Play night at AT&T ballpark. Brandon had pledged at Spring Training to give Not For Sale a donation for every homerun he hit. But up to last Friday, he had not hit one home run during the season. He promised Dave he would start hitting them soon and said, “I want to help you fight slavery!” Not For Sale board member Mike Keriakos told Brandon to lighten up and that he would give $200 to match every homer Belt hit. This week, Brandon hit three home runs in three games!
Not For Sale and Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum rock ‘n’ roll band Third Day have joined forces to to prevent human trafficking in one of the world’s most vulnerable areas. The purchase of a limited-edition Free2Rock T-shirt will provide jobs, training and economic development for at-risk men, women, and children in the Peruvian Amazon. Proceeds ensure those vulnerable to exploitation will have the opportunity for a bright future: One where they are free to go to school, get a job and live dignified lives.
Proceeds from this month’s campaign will help Not For Sale create programs that
encourage economic development and provide jobs and artisan skills training for vulnerable
communities in the Peruvian Amazon.
Rock out with Third Day to prevent exploitation, protect freedom and dignity, and
educate others on human trafficking.
