CLEVELAND — The Renee Jones Empowerment Center started in a small storefront on West 65th Street in Cleveland in 2002. Renee Jones was talking about human trafficking when nobody was listening.
“When I was talking about it, nobody was really talking about it,” said Jones.
It happens in small towns and big cities across the country. According to statistics, Ohio ranks number five in the country for human trafficking.
Jones takes her message and services to the streets to reach victims through her program, Project Red Cord. On Friday, Jones and a team were on Pearl Road in Cleveland, trying to educate Clevelanders about human trafficking.
Now, her reach stretches far from Cleveland. In March of last year, Jones launched the Global Initiative. She teaches those in other countries about human trafficking virtually. “An initiative where we can share our programs and services with other countries to help them fight human trafficking,” explained Jones.
The first to join the partnership is Malawi, Africa. Jones has educated teachers, police officers and the media in Malawi. Organizers in Malawi have duplicated Project Red Cord in that country.
Now, Whoopy Matewere came to Cleveland for hands-on learning.
“It’s a very big issue in Malawi both for the children as well as women,” said Matewere.
Matewere works with The Eye of the Child, an organization that fights for both children and human rights, she said. “I came here because I wanted to learn about the work they do,” Matewere explained.
Matewere spent a couple of weeks in Cleveland, getting experience she can take back to Malawi.
“They really have empowered us to go out to the people, to the communities, to the schools, we are raising awareness on what human trafficking is,” said Matewere.
Women and children are most at risk, said Matewere.
Children as young as six years old are trafficked for sex, organ removal and child labor, explained Matewere. “We have actually saved lives,” she said.
Poverty in Malawi makes people vulnerable to becoming a victim, Matewere explained.
The Renee Jones Empowerment Center also launched a pilot program aimed at teaching a small group of women a skill.
“We have enrolled them in a tailoring school, they will be graduating this month or next month,” said Matewere.
Once finished, the women will have the skills to work in the textile industry, which will allow them to support themselves and their families.
