Testimonies

In 2008, SRF teamed up with AYUDA, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit organization that provides assistance to low-income, foreign-born persons in the areas of immigration, human trafficking, domestic violence, and family law. In partnership with the Ricky Martin Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank and the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, AYUDA had recently launched the Llama y Vive (Call & Live) campaign to combat human trafficking in the D.C. region.

Llama y Vive is a free, confidential 24-hour spanish-language Trafficking Hotline that connects trafficked persons directly to AYUDA’s services. The campaign includes print media and TV PSAs featuring Ricky Martin. AYUDA asked SRF’s Acceso Hispano team to manage the trafficking hotline and link potential cases of trafficking to AYUDA for assistance. SRF’s outreach specialists managing the Accesso Hispano helpline or Linea de Ayuda began to field calls in response to the campaign.  The following is the story of one of the calls received:

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Ernesto Solis is from a small town in Nicaragua, and currently lives in Arlington, Virginia. His family is still in Nicaragua, including his little sister who is the youngest of their large family. Ernesto came to the U.S. to work and live but remains the caretaker of his family, providing both financially and emotionally for them.

In July of 2008, Ernesto’s family called him to say that his youngest sister had been abducted along with another young girl from their town. The family was distraught, didn’t know where to turn and asked him to help find her. He began making calls, organizing prayer chains and talking to anyone and everyone who might listen and provide advice on what he could do.

Several months passed and he felt helpless, but he continued to make calls, console his father, and ask others for help. One day he saw a brief television announcement that said, “…if you need help or need somewhere to turn in a time of crisis call the Linea de Ayuda.” Ernesto picked up his phone and called the hotline, and spoke with Jairo-one of Acceso Hispano’s hotline specialists. Jairo listened to the story-a familiar one that he had heard several times before– of a young girl abducted and a family member desperate to find her.

Jairo gave Ernesto several referrals to both U.S.-based groups and international organizations that could potentially help him find his sister. Jairo made the first call to advocate on behalf of Ernesto, which started the ball rolling in the search for his sister. Ernesto kept in touch with Jairo over 3 weeks, keeping him up to date on his search. Jairo told the rest of the Acceso Hispano team that he had a good feeling and that he was sure it was only a matter of time until they’d find her.

On a Friday morning, Ernesto called Jairo with elation in his voice.  His sister had been found in Guatemala by the authorities working on the case. Ernesto’s father and family in Nicaragua were amazed that even being so far away, he was able to solve the family’s crisis. He took a day off of work the following week to go into Washington DC to thank the Acceso Hispano team in person, so appreciative of the emotional support he had received and the referrals which led to finding his sister. Fortunately she is still alive, though very ill after having suffered a horrible and unimaginable ordeal. Ernesto’s family is relieved and grateful for the blessing of having her with them again.

If you would like to support the Acceso Hispano team in their outreach work, please click here to make a donation.