After hearing heartbreaking and inspiring stories of those trapped in slavery from the largest anti-slavery organization in the world, Winnipeggers were moved to action.

On October 24, 2019, guests gathered at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights for the first-ever IJM Canada's 'Refuge: Safe to Dream' Winnipeg gala in support of rescue missions in Chennai, India. 

They heard from IJM Canada`s new Executive Director Anu George Canjanathoppil who is not only their first woman director but also someone who has experienced violence and oppression first-hand. While working in the education sector in Mumbai, she was beaten due to her work. As a survivor of violence, she says, "the end of poverty requires the end of violence."

Worldwide, 40.3 million people are experiencing slavery, which is more than the population of Canada. "There are families out there wanting to lead a life of freedom. These are people who are trapped and confined in a life of slavery. I believe that this country can lead the change; it can lead a movement to end slavery in our lifetime," Canjanthoppil says. 

"Feel their stories, feel their darkness and their tears. Smell the sweat of their hardships, but don't allow the weight of these stories to pull you down."

Canjanthoppil shared the story of one woman whose entire family was enslaved after a $15 loan to pay for her child's medication. The woman called her captor 'the Beast' and told Canjanthoppil that "'life in slavery becomes a non-life, you are living dead, a zombie.' Maybe that is the best definition there is. When you're a slave you have no energy to eat, you no longer care about nice clean clothes or fixing your hair. You stop making decisions about anything because you cannot. You stop making decisions about your future because there is none." 

Originally from India, Canjanthoppil says, "I had never known slavery exists in my country. I had never known that it was possible to trap human beings and human life for generations together by people who have the power and the money to do so. This was happening in my backyard and I never knew." 

"I want to invite you at this moment to join the fight; to celebrate the joy of your brothers and sisters who have been liberated from bondage. She asks the guest to "feel their stories, feel their darkness, and their tears, smell the sweat of their hardships, but don't allow the weight of these stories to pull you down. Through our teams across the world, you can take up the audacious challenge of ending slavery in our lifetime," Canjanthoppil says.

Every rescue costs $8,200. The gala almost doubled their original goal for the night and fulfilled their secondary hope. "One of our focuses was not just about raising money, but it was about raising awareness. It's not just 10 or 20 we are talking about thousands and millions of people that are trapped in a lifestyle that is horrendous. 

"Our goal was to raise enough for six rescues and we have raised enough for 11 rescues tonight. We are just really grateful," David Pollendine, IJM's Director of Development and Mobilization for the Prairies says.