Every October, we are reminded of something simple yet powerful: change begins with a single choice. At Not For Sale, we know that when we invest in girls’ safety and education, the impact lasts for generations.

What It Means to “Make a Difference”

National Make a Difference Day falls on the fourth Saturday of October. More than a date, it serves as a reminder: no matter who we are or what resources we hold, each of us can spark ripples of change.

We see this truth every day in the places where we work. In the hill tribe villages of northern Thailand. In the Amazon basin of Peru. Among vulnerable migrant families in Vietnam. And across at-risk neighborhoods in the Netherlands. The lesson is always the same. When people unite to protect the most vulnerable, entire futures shift.

Why Girls Are at the Heart of This Work

Globally, girls are disproportionately targeted for exploitation. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, nearly three out of four detected trafficking victims are women or girls. In the regions where Not For Sale operates, this risk deepens with poverty, displacement, and lack of schooling.

Yet there is another side to the story. When girls gain safety, food, education, and hope, the transformation is extraordinary. They do not just survive, they thrive. They become mothers, leaders, and professionals who uplift whole communities.

Lina’s story brings this to life. Once at risk on the Thai–Myanmar–Laos border, she found refuge at Baan Kru Nam—“Teacher Nam’s Home.” Today, Lina is raising two children in stability and hope. Her daughter dreams of becoming a doctor. That future began with one safe space. One choice to make a difference.

Where the Need Is Most Urgent

“Returning to Not For Sale Thailand, I was reminded that hope isn’t abstract. It’s built, brick by brick, through the courage of heroes like Kru Nam. The girls’ dorm we’re setting out to build isn’t just a shelter; it’s a declaration. A statement that every child, no matter how vulnerable, deserves safety, education, and a future.” – Mark Wexler, co founder, Not For Sale

Why a girls’ dorm? Because while both boys and girls face risks in border regions, the vulnerabilities for girls are uniquely severe. Without secure housing, girls may be pulled from school to work, exposed to trafficking networks, or married off too early. A dedicated dorm means privacy, protection, and the assurance that they can pursue education free from fear.

We explored this in depth in our article on why girls face higher risks of trafficking and exploitation (link to evergreen trafficking article). The evidence is overwhelming: if we want to break cycles of vulnerability, investing in safe housing for girls is one of the most powerful steps we can take.

The Ripple Effect of Safety

Safety is the foundation for everything else. With a secure dormitory:

Girls can stay in school instead of being forced into child labor or early marriage.

Families heal and stabilize, as we saw in Lina’s story, where her mother overcame addiction and her children found hope.

Generations are transformed, because educated girls are twice as likely to educate their own children (UNICEF).

In short, protecting one girl means protecting an entire future.

How You Can Make a Difference Today

National Make a Difference Day isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about choosing to act with intention. For Not For Sale, the most pressing action right now is ensuring the girls’ dorm in Thailand becomes a reality. But there are many ways to help create that future:

Learn more
Read the stories we’ve shared this month. Lina’s journey of resilience, and the global realities facing girls at risk of trafficking. Knowledge is the first step toward change.

Share
Conversations matter. Talk about these issues with friends, family, or on social media. Tag Us in your conversations. Awareness strengthens protection for those most at risk.

Encouragement
Join the movement and sign up to our newsletter. Stay in the loop with regular updates from our front lines, ways to get involved, and previews to the wide range of content our teams produce from our projects around the world.

Support ethically.
Choose to shop with brands that build solutions directly into their business models. REBBL, the plant-based beverage company co-founded with Not For Sale, works hand-in-hand with farming communities in Peru. By strengthening livelihoods, creating stable incomes, and supporting community infrastructure, REBBL helps prevent the very vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit. It’s a clear example of how economic empowerment at the source can protect girls further down the line from ever being exposed to trafficking.

These actions may seem simple, but together they create a ripple effect that keeps girls safe, in school, and free to dream.

Change Starts With One Choice

On this National Make a Difference Day, we invite you to reflect on what it means to protect, uplift, and empower those most at risk. For us, the message is simple: when we choose to invest in girls, we make a difference that lasts for generations.

A safe dorm is more than a building, it is a promise. A promise that every girl deserves the chance to learn, to dream, and to thrive. With your help, that promise can become a reality.

Because making a difference doesn’t always require a monumental act. Sometimes, it’s as simple as helping one girl find a safe place to sleep.

Sources:

UNODC. Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2020.
UNICEF. Education and Gender Equality.
Not For Sale Foundation: Case archives and impact reports.