La Strada Needs Your Help

During the nine years of its existence La Strada Czech Republic has come a long way:

• From having no government attention whatsoever to being a key partner in the government’s Trafficked Persons Protection Scheme
• From an organization with scarce human resources to an office with clear division of tasks and a well-trained and competent team of eight full-time employees
• From a newly established organization dealing with an issue unknown to most of its contacts to a widely recognized expert on an issue receiving increased attention

In the upcoming years, La Strada would like to further professionalize its work and expand its services and influence. To achieve these goals, La Strada would like to:

• Establish and develop a network of organizations in different areas of the Czech Republic. The organizations would carry out prevention work and provide social assistance in particular regions with their knowledge of the local situation. Such a network would provide for flexible referral of clients, speedy exchange of information and service coverage for the whole territory of the Czech Republic.
• Push for the full implementation of recommendations to the Czech government regarding the issue of human trafficking presented in December 2003 that translate years of the organization’s experience in this area.
• Carry out comprehensive prevention activities at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Primary prevention targets the general public, secondary prevention focuses on specific risk groups and tertiary prevention basically equals prevention of retrafficking.
• Open a new shelter for trafficked women. Funding for rent for one year is already secured, but it has turned out to be extremely difficult to secure adequate premises.

La Strada deals with people – and mostly these people are troubled people who need time and a human touch. This can only be provided through the sensitive handling of the situation and the investment of time by competent people. Similarly, advocacy requires continued and sustained interaction with decision makers, which is also a highly time-consuming activity requiring competent staff.

To be able to implement its core activities within the advocacy, prevention and social assistance areas in the next year, La Strada needs of 3.5 million CZK to cover its staff and office rental costs.

If you’d like to help, or know of people or resources that could help, please let us know.