Celebrating 20 Years with Mary and the Month of LUV   

Last month, we kicked off a year-long celebration of Lift Up the Vulnerable’s 20th anniversary — a milestone marking two decades of transforming the lives of children and women in some of the world’s most devastated warzones. What began in 2005 as a mission to prevent human trafficking before it even starts has grown into a powerful, indigenously led anti-trafficking network spanning Sudan and South Sudan.

 

A Legacy of Transformation

As you know, human trafficking preys on the most vulnerable among us. For children and women living in places torn apart by war and extreme poverty, there is often no safe place to turn and no path to freedom.

Since our founding, our anti-trafficking network has provided protection, education and economic development — empowering nearly 4,000 children and hundreds of women to break free from exploitation and become changemakers in their own lives and communities.

Mary’s story is one such transformation. As one of the first women impacted and employed in our network, her journey embodies resilience, hope, and the enduring impact of love.

From Enslaved to Empowered 

Mary Achai grew up in South Sudan, a land ravaged by conflict. When war tore through her village, Mary was captured, enslaved, and forced to work in the North. After years in captivity, she discovered her ten-year-old daughter was about to be sold as a child bride. Determined to find freedom for her family, Mary fled on foot, but her trafficker pursued her.

Eventually, he cornered her on horseback and set the bush where she hid on fire. In that moment of horror, Mary lost several of her children, including the daughter she had sought to rescue. She herself suffered severe burns, leaving her arms permanently scarred and fixed at a 90-degree angle.

When I first met Mary, months had passed since the fire, but the scars — both physical and emotional — remained. 

She came to a free medical clinic we were hosting in her village, and that encounter marked the beginning of her healing journey. With our team’s support, we provided her with safe housing, funded corrective surgery for her arms, and launched “Mary’s Cross”, a micro-enterprise that gave her financial stability despite her limited arm mobility.

Today, Mary is a mentor to other women in South Sudan, teaching them the skills she has mastered. In 2022, Mary’s youngest son graduated from our high school program — a testament to her strength and the new life she has built for her family.  She remains inspired by the hope and care she provides to vulnerable children in our program, leaving a legacy of compassion through her service.

Every small act of love and generosity you offer contributes to a larger movement of change.   

Join the Month of LUV

In honor of Valentine’s Day — aka the International Day of LUV — we’re celebrating the love that transforms lives. This tradition highlights the core message of Lift Up the Vulnerable: compassionate love means caring for those who are in need — especially the most vulnerable orphans and widows in their distress.  

Here are three meaningful ways you can help:

1. Send a LUV Day card & gift to your Valentine:

Donate in honor of a loved one, and we’ll mail them a Valentine card, along with a Mary’s Cross ornament, hand-crafted by trafficking survivors from local grasses. This ornament serves as a powerful reminder of how your generosity is changing the lives of vulnerable children and women in warzones.   

2. Host a LUV Transforms Friend-Raiser:   

Gather friends, family, or colleagues for an event to share the mission of LUV and to join the fight against human trafficking! We’ve crafted a toolkit with everything you need to host a meaningful gathering — from Sudanese-inspired drinks to impactful stories and videos. Sign up to receive your host toolkit today.

3. Help Us Uplift Female Leaders in South Sudan:

In honor of our 20 years of impact, we want to raise $20,000 this month to protect 10 women from exploitation and empower them to lead as changemakers in their own lives and community, improving the lives of an estimated 90 additional people — along with hundreds of children in our programs. Make a difference with a one-time or monthly donation of: 

  • $20 — Provides one student two nutritious meals a day for one month, lovingly served by community women. 
  • $200 — Funds two female interns for one month — alumni from our school program — opening doors for continued leadership and growth.
  • $2,000 — Empowers one survivor for eight months of meaningful full-time employment serving LUV’s students.

With a donation of $20 or more, you’ll receive a Mary’s Cross ornament — a meaningful symbol of your impact. 

Your generous one-time or monthly gift will equip local changemakers, address root causes of exploitation, and grow hope and resiliency in war-torn communities.