Students and cell phones
Photo caption: (Amanda Marshall, a Phones4Freedom Supporter)
Today I had the great privilege of visiting George Washington University to speak to several MBA students about Survivors Connect’s use of mobile technology to combat human trafficking. Sushmita Manatt, a second year MBA student, and her team applied for the Clinton Global Initiative University program, which brings together student leaders from colleges all over the world to discuss solutions to pressing development issues.
They discuss real world challenges as well as take concrete steps toward solving them by making “Commitments to Action” for their cause. Manatt and her team have made a commitment to supporting Survivors Connect by launching their own Phones4Freedom campaign in the metro D.C. area. Phones4Freedom is an innovative mobile recycling program, which we launched a few years ago.
We have partnered with the WirelessSource, which recycles old and used mobile phones. For every phone donated, Survivors Connect earns “points” towards our SMS:Freedom programs, so that we can purchase the appropriate equipment for our SMS-based helpline projects in various countries. We sat together to brainstorm ways to engage local businesses with the Phones4Freedom campaign (such as setting up collection boxes), places to schedule film screenings and other awareness events, and other strategies to reach their goal to collect 300 or more mobile phones for recycling. They are a wonderful group of students and I look forward to spending the next few months working with them!
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