Collection: purpose jewelry

"International Sanctuary and PURPOSE Jewelry’s mission is to empower girls and young women escaping human trafficking to embrace their true identity and worth. The art of craftsmanship through our social enterprise, PURPOSE, paired with holistic care through our program, International Sanctuary, ensures that every woman gains hope, dignity and freedom for the future. Human trafficking is a worldwide crisis with over 40 million people enslaved all over the globe. Simply rescuing girls and women from their traffickers is not enough. The young women and girls need continued support in order for them to successfully transition into their future. Since 2007, we have worked to ensure girls and women escaping from human trafficking have a safe, loving community where they belong. It is a place where they can heal from the horrors they've experienced, learn to trust other people, and grow into who they were created to be.

“What we went through before happened, but International Sanctuary has helped us to still find value in ourselves.” - Natale*, Kampala Sanctuary

Co-Founders, Stephanie Pollaro and Wendy Dailey, both saw first hand the atrocities of human trafficking and asked, “What can we do?” What was needed was a safe and loving workplace where girls could earn a living and gain skills to build their futures. Stephanie moved to Mumbai, India, teaching the art of jewelry making directly to survivors, while Wendy, based in Orange County, California, began educating the community about human trafficking, selling the handcrafted jewelry, and growing the non-profit. There was a gap between rescue and true freedom that International Sanctuary began to fill. The model worked and the supporter base grew as new anti-trafficking partners around the world articulated the need for jobs for girls and women. International Sanctuary currently has five locations around the world, including Mumbai, India; Kampala, Uganda; Tijuana, Mexico; and two in Orange County, California.

“Freedom for me is that we are all equal and we do not have differences between us. Community is what we have here at International Sanctuary.” -Lucinda*, Tijuana Sanctuary" - PURPOSE JEWELRY