GLC Community Learning Stories
November 2025 GLC Monthly Learning Call Brief
What has the community been learning in 2025? What problems have been addressed, challenges faced, and answers found?
Summary of the calls
Our November Calls focused on the unique work of different GLC members. The call was an open mic for any member to share what problems they have been addressing in their work and any learnings they’ve had that they wanted to share. Our conversations were warm and eclectic, and we found there were some fascinating, unique issues facing some of our members and other issues that seemed quite common that were brainstormed.
Eastern Call overview:
Chloe Martin from Branches of Hope in Hong Kong shared about how involvement the GLC, including her work with in addressing some of her concerns in working well alongside faith based organizations. She was also able to make some important connection and at the ARAT conference was very helpful in making connections with other organizations in the region to support the repatriation of migrants from Hong Kong.
Fatima Ali from Asylos in the UK spoke about their partnerships with the Human Trafficking Research Network (co-chaired by GLC member & Equity Partner Gillian Kane). Recognizing that centering survivors is not well-prioritized, the two entities collaborated to create a workshop to explore lived experience as legitimate expertise. They developed 6 principles as a Call to Action, which is a “first step” toward addressing this problem.
Putu Dharma Asthi from Dark Bali in Indonesia spoke about her organization’s effort to address the need for better training in trauma based approaches for counselors in their network. They finished an 18 month pilot program with 27 counselors attaining a certification in somatic experiencing (previously unavailable in the country). One of the exciting outcomes has been the measured reduction of burnout, depression, and anxiety in the counselors who participated in the program.
Jacob Sarkodee of The Global Counter Trafficking group shared their experience in addressing the question “How do we know if our network is a healthy one?” based on the assumption that a healthy network that includes high levels of individual trust and shared knowledge will result in improved performance in the entire counter trafficking system. They used a strengths based paradigm to create a tracking system to measure 6 key indicators through partner surveys and anticipate using this system to develop their strategies in their network.
Kneath Heard from Chab Dai Cambodia noted that patience and adaptability has been his most important lesson as his organization has taken a more active approach in scamming compound prevention and rehabilitation of survivors and their collaboration with national police.
Matt Clarke (Freedom Keys Research Project) and Age Rowse (Asia Freedom Netwokr) are both keen to explore what they’ve noted as a need for supporting those working in the anti-trafficking sector, including those behind the scenes, not just direct service providers. Age asked “How do we make this (support of sector leaders) more available on a wider scale?”
Western Call overview:
Michelle Allen from Hope’s Cry in Uganda has navigated a massive pilot in programs from a focus on young girls from rural areas who are uneducated and recovering from sexual exploitation to survivors of scamming who are largely older and more educated and often male. They’ve processed over 50 survivors and are now trying to figure out how to do good prevention work as people (including survivors) continue to look overseas for job opportunities.
Larisa Dearnley of Destiny’s Project in Costa Rica has been working with 18 year olds transitioning from institutional care. Originally, they worked to place these young women with foster families, but could not meet the demand for services. This year they opened a transition house and are working on creating a program that guarantees these young women full independence while being supportive and useful to them as they learn how to be adults, including being a solid base for them to return to when they need it.
Laura Hackney who works for Annie Cannons in the USA spoke about their organization’s challenges. As a program that trains survivors of trafficking in software development, the emergence of AI has created the need to restructure their training to include an “Ethical AI Learning Plan.” In addition, they have been creating pathways for external apprenticeships with local companies and are thrilled at the 75% full time hire rate in those apprenticeships.
Salome Geiger in South Africa with Beyond Priceless has been tackling intervention by developing relationships with truck drivers. Realizing that these drivers have a unique ability to spot trafficking on highway corridors, Beyond Priceless wanted to create a mechanism for whistleblowing and reporting. They have found success in creating trucker hubs at major stops which are staffed with counselors, medical care, and an opportunity for human connection.
What we learned:
Each of those GLC members that shared offered experiences that were both unique to their work and contexts, but also have similarities with challenges facing many other organizations in different places. The major themes that came out were:
The importance of flexibility and adaptability in the face of constantly changing trafficking mechanisms
Collaboration is imperative for success, and it must include authentic caring peer to peer relationships
The continued need to work closely with survivors to develop strategies and programs
Shared learning reduces unnecessary reduplication and waste of resources
Implications for the GLC
The GLC will continue to work to create pathways for learning to be shared, resources to be distributed, and authentic relationships to be developed. Collaboration reduces everyone’s workload and offers the opportunity to find already proven solutions rather than guesswork. This alone has a significant impact in the reduction of burnout.
Additionally, as a “human first” project, we are intentional about approaching people as people, not their roles or work. We echo Age Rowe’s question of how we can better support leaders in our community, and we welcome the ideas and participation of all members to care well for one another.
