Local non-profit dedicated to helping sexually enslaved women in India

Описание: Non-profits are struggling to stay alive after their biggest fundraisers have been canceled and much of their funding has been cut.

“It's definitely a challenge,” said April Berg, co-founder of The Aruna Project. “I mean, there's just a lot of unknowns obviously.”

The Aruna Project is a Cincinnati-based non-profit that helps free enslaved women in India. Within the two square miles they work, there are an estimated 15,000 sex workers.

“We have tried to work so many angles and avenues to make sure we're able to continue to bring in a certain amount of cash flow to ensure their freedom,” said Ryan Berg, co-founder of The Aruna Project. “It's a real challenge and we know that everybody's facing that challenge.”

The women that are freed then have the option to work at Aruna, a for-profit athleisure lifestyle brand that was created to ensure their freedom.

“They'll refer to going from hell to heaven,” said Ryan. “They'll refer to a point of enslavement to now getting their great dreams they always had as a young girl.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Aruna Project had to cancel 9 Aruna runs and several fundraising events. Co-founders Ryan and April immediately broke out their economic downturn plan and cut expenses by almost 40%.

“The entire goal within the whole process was to try to ensure we could still pay all of the women's salary at 100% so they wouldn't be at risk for being re-trafficked through economic instability,” said Ryan.

Cincinnati’s Aruna Run is still scheduled for September 7.

Over the next several weeks, The Aruna Project will be hosting product giveaways with a goal of raising $75,000.