OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ONE BY ONE
2025: A YEAR OF MERCY
CHURCHES AGAINST TRAFFICKING
Dear friend,
Thank you for your support – it forever amazes me that One By One is impacting so many lives across the world. We couldn’t do that without you, the heroes who make this possible!
There’s so much to talk about… the Mercy Centre in Uganda will open in 2025 and we hope the Dignity Project will reach its 50,000th girl. Our teams in Kenya and Pakistan continue to work so hard and bring hope and joy in difficult situations.
Galatians 5:13 urges us to ‘use freedom to serve one another in love’. When we accept Christ, we receive freedom, being released from the recurring need to offer daily sacrifices to God and obligations that existed in Old Testament law. A new era began! We are now living free and under the amazing grace that has changed millions of lives for centuries!
This freedom isn’t just for us! We now have the privilege of helping and serving others. Living in physical freedom should be the right of every individual. Sadly for many around the world, it’s just a dream. Those who live in freedom have to recognise the responsibility we each have to look out for those who don’t live as we do.
One By One’s heart is to go after those who
feel trapped and oppressed, seeing lives reached, rescued and restored into all that God has planned for them.
Whether it’s girls forced into sex trafficking or boys born into bonded labour, we must fight for them and speak up for those who have no voice. Let’s end exploitation, once and for all.
We tackle slavery through prevention, protection and prosecution – but we couldn’t do any of this without a fourth: p – partnership! Together we can see transformation, one life at a time, one by one.
Thank you for standing with us.
Becky Murray Founder and CEO, One By One
PREVENTION Our programmes seek to educate and equip communities with the knowledge and tools they need
Dignity Project to reach
STARTING with one small event in Kenya in 2015, the Dignity Project has now spread to four continents and many countries including the UK, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone and Brazil. We hope to have reached 50,000 girls with the Dignity Project by the end of 2025. The Dignity Project trains girls about the tactics of traffickers and addresses a huge contribution to human trafficking – period poverty. When girls miss school they become more at risk of being trafficked and our reusable, washable sanitary pads aim to
address this. Where possible, we invite representatives from local police forces to attend our Dignity Days, giving girls and school teachers information on how and where to report any concerns.
44,943 girls have been reached through the Dignity Project since its inception in 2015.
Schools that took part in a recent Dignity Day in Uganda showed an average of a 19 per cent increase in girls’ attendance in the six months following the event.
to prevent human trafficking and protect the vulnerable from abuse.
50,000 girls
Community Conversations
Leveraging the power of collaboration, we bring together a range of community spokespeople and key leaders to initiate conversations around the serious issue of human trafficking and modernday slavery. We’ve been amazed by the responses and conversations harvested, with numerous village leaders commenting that
they knew such offences existed in their communities but were unaware of the criminal and legal aspects. These outcomes all contribute to better prevention of the devastating crime of trading in human beings.
427 influential local leaders have participated in our Community Conversations in Uganda so far.
Professional Training
One By One trains professionals in human trafficking awareness, victim handling and reporting. This includes medical professionals, law enforcement, and school teachers.
After one healthcare training event, a nurse who attended reported that three young women visited the facility she works at. She was concerned at some of the indicators and discovered the girls had been tricked into prostitution having thought they were moving to the area to work in a bar. The nurse was able to gather family contact details for one of the girls who was underage. The incident was reported to the police and the girl has since returned home and rejoined school.
In 2024 we held prevention training with professionals from 14 medical facilities, 28 schools and 30 councils.
We were able to hold a Dignity Day in a refugee camp for women who have fled Afghanistan. Our brave team continued despite violent threats throughout the day
PROTECTION Protecting those who have been abused and exploited is a huge aim of One By One. Our teams do
Returning to family care
KENYA Residential Care
THE King’s Centre in Kenya – One By One’s first ever programme – continues to flourish and children rescued from horrendous situations are now starting to graduate and begin their journey into adulthood. Children at King’s receive free education, meals, clothing and medical support. A key objective recently has been to reintegrate boarding children into familybased care. We believe this is the best way for children to be raised where possible. Through this approach, we were able to successfully reintegrate all children into safe settings. Alongside wellbeing visits from our social workers, our reintegration follow-up team also carries out parenting classes and additional mentoring.
King’s Education
Our schools in Kenya continue to achieve incredible results. Here are some highlights...
Primary school
› 67 per cent of students
scored above 300 marks (out of 500) in their exams (national average is 24.9 per cent).
› Five students scored over 350 marks.
› 100 per cent of students scored above 200 marks (national average is 72.5 per cent).
› Our highest performing student scored 396 , putting him in the top one per cent of the country.
Secondary school
› King’s ranked eighth out of 158 in schools in Busia County.
› Four students achieved a mean grade of B, putting them in the top 13.7 per cent nationally.
› Our highest performing student ranked in the top seven per cent in the country.
› All 15 candidates from our most recent graduating class have gone on to further education – ten have started university and five are undertaking technical courses.
Reaching children forced to work
PAKISTAN
Safe House
ONE BY ONE has helped 85 children transition from living in a brick kiln to our safe house. They continue to thrive, perform well in school and enjoy games and activities that they have never experienced before. Staff have commented on how the children love being in a safe and healthy environment, where they can enjoy simply being
children. This is a stark contrast from the 14-hour days some of them were working in brick factories under the most brutal conditions.
We were delighted to see the family of two of the children in the safe house free themselves from the brick kilns by finally paying off their debt after many years. One By One was able to support the family with a micro business start up whilst the children continue their education.
The business is providing an income for the family as they enjoy their new life together in their own
home, living free from the bondage they once knew.
Outreach teams
Our teams now reach an incredible 1,500 children per week in more than 60 brick kilns, offering hope, fun and support to children still trapped in bonded labour. This programme is the biggest of its kind in Pakistan and is described by many of the children as the highlight of their week.
There are more than 20,000 brick factories in Pakistan, with an estimated three million people in bonded labour.
PROSECUTION
A key to ending trafficking and exploitation is bringing prosecution to perpetrators. For too long criminals have felt confident to run their industry without fear of punishment. We are determined to stop that.
Girls rescued following One By One police training
UGANDA
OFFICERS
who attended
One By One’s recently launched police training programme in Uganda have rescued two sisters who were sex trafficked within the country. The girls – aged 16 and 19 – had been trafficked to Jinja from East Uganda. One of them was sadly abused after they were separated. The girls were trafficked thinking they were going to work at a factory.
The overseeing detective Dominic Dulu contacted One By One to commend our team for their training and the impact it had on the rescue.
The training sessions teach police officers about case identification, victim handling and how to build a case against perpetrators. The incident involving the sisters took place just three days after one seminar. We also received feedback from Detective Moses Mukooli
who led an investigation into a Rwandan national who was found to have trafficked a minor from Rwanda to Uganda, held him in terrible conditions, and abused and tortured him.
Detective Mukooli conveyed that the knowledge acquired from the training was pivotal. The perpetrator is now behind bars, and One
By One’s staff were able to refer the boy to a specialist shelter in Kampala.
A representative from all 16 police stations in Jinja, Uganda, have been trained by One By One.
RWANDA
In partnership with the Rwandan government, we are working with a team of lawyers in providing focused legal services to victims of human trafficking, including legal representation through private prosecutions in order to help gain justice for survivors whilst supporting them through their recovery process. Survivors we are currently advocating for include minors trafficked from Rwanda to Uganda for the purpose of sexual exploitation, a three-year-old abducted from their home and trafficked within Rwanda, and a group of Burundian minors who were taken from a refugee camp and forced to join a rebel armed forces group in the Congo. Achieving justice for those who have been exploited can bring significant healing and we believe perpetrators should be correctly punished.
Working with governments to bring change
ONE BY ONE continues to meet with politicians in UK, USA and Africa to campaign and lobby for governments to protect those at risk of exploitation.
A significant meeting came when our CEO Becky Murray met with former Prime Minister Theresa May at her offices in London. Mrs May invited Becky to Parliament having heard about One By One’s work. She wanted to hear more and offer her support. In 2022 the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and
Human Trafficking was launched by Mrs May to exert high-level political leverage to restore political momentum towards achieving UN goals set out to eradicate forced labour and end modern slavery.
We are grateful to all politicians who use their platforms to speak up for those who have no voice.
Our first Mercy Centre to open
The tragic rape and murder of a three-year-old has prompted the opening of the Mercy Centre in Uganda…
ONE BY ONE is opening its first ever Mercy Centre in Jinja, Uganda.
The centre will provide a sanctuary of hope and rehabilitation for girls who have been trafficked and exploited into sex trafficking, domestic servitude or forced labour. Dedicated professionals will support the
girls and help them overcome the trauma and pain they have experienced.
The Mercy Centre will house up to 20 girls at one time. They will stay in the centre for approximately three months, receive counselling, care and be trained in various skills before being reintegrated into
their families and the wider community.
Why Mercy?
The centre is named following the tragic rape and murder of a three-year-old girl named Mercy near to our safe house in Pakistan. Mercy was born into slavery, working in bonded labour in brick kilns
with her mother. Following this awful incident, we knew we had to do something. We believe this will be the first of several Mercy Centres across the world.
Why Jinja?
Jinja is a known hotspot for trafficking activity, arguably because of its location on the Kamapla-Jinja Highway. The highway forms a section of the Northern Corridor, a road system that connects the East African cities of Bujumbura in Burundi, Kigali in Rwanda and Kampala in Uganda to Nairobi in Kenya and, ultimately, to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
Survivor-centred care is a fundamental principle in One By One’s programmes. As well as counselling and therapy sessions, we will also provide short courses to
equip the girls for life once they leave.
We will run academic courses covering literacy and numeracy skills, but in addition offer other courses such as farming, hair and beauty, art workshops, jewellery making and small business skills.
There are several ways you can help the Mercy Centre. Perhaps you, your church or your business can help with ongoing costs. Here are some of the regular needs:
Site rent – £25,000 per year.
Utility bills – £400 per month.
Food – £1,000 per month.
Our initial start up costs for the Mercy Centre have now been met and we hope to open in 2025. Thank you to all who have supported this so far! How can I
Clothing – £5,000 per year.
Short course for one girl – £350 per course.
Teacher’s salary –£7,500 per year.
Counsellor salary – £5,000 per year.
Check out www. onebyone.org for information on how to get involved.
Running For Mercy
One By One held its largest ever fundraiser last summer as more than 200 people globally took part in Running For Mercy. More than £100,000 was raised towards the opening costs of the Mercy Centre in Uganda…
INSPIRING volunteers aged from one to eighty ran, cycled, walked and marched to raise funds for One By One’s new work in Uganda.
One fundraiser trekked the Kenya/Uganda border, a team from London completed 250,000 steps in a day and a school teacher ran up Ben Nevis in an ‘ultramarathon’ challenge. Events were held throughout the UK as well as USA, Canada, Australia and Dubai. Churches throughout
the UK got involved, including Rotherham Elim church, where more than 70 people from their congregation came together to ‘March For Mercy’, walking 5km through the town after a Sunday service.
The total raised was a staggering £112,000. The money will go towards the set-up costs of The Mercy Centre in Jinja, Uganda, a residential restorative care facility for girls who have been trafficked.
Ben Gregory completed the Birmingham Half Marathon
More than 70 people from Rotherham Elim took part in ‘March For Mercy’ through the town
Could you be a fundraiser?
We are grateful to anyone who can raise funds for our vital work around the world. Here are just some of the ways you can get involved:
› Give monthly – become a freedom builder, give any amount each month and join the fight.
› Arrange a sponsored event – sign up to a run? Climb a mountain? Do a huge hike? You’d be amazed how your friends, family and work colleagues might support you!
› Donate your birthday – instead of gifts why not ask people to make a donation instead?
› Host an interest night – why not invite some friends to your home and share about the dangers of human trafficking and the work of One By One?
› Engage your employer – does your workplace do charity work? Why not suggest that this year the staff does something to help those at risk of exploitation?
Sonny Cobbs, manager of Precision FC in Dubai and former Brighton footballer, was delighted to take part, raising more than £5,000
Families got involved, including mum and daughter Sarah and Lexi Cunningham, who walked 60 miles together throughout the month
A group from London completed 250,000 steps in 24 hours
School teacher Natalie Starkey took part in the Ben Nevis Ultramarathon
Londoner Mathusha Alesrarosario hiked for eight miles. Her target of £2,000 was doubled by her employer, Farmfoods
Thea Thomas, the youngest Running For Mercy participant
Initiative launched to
CHURCHES AGAINST TRAFFICKING
is an initiative launched by One By One to equip, resource and empower the church in the fight against human trafficking.
Throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament story of Joseph in the book of Genesis when his brothers sold him into slavery, to Exodus where the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites for over 400 years, the descriptions of the evil of human trafficking and slavery are told to us over and over again.
Yet human trafficking is not just a phenomenon from biblical times. Here in the 21st Century, modern day slavery blights the lives of vulnerable people across the world. It is estimated that there are almost 50 million people in slavery today. One By One works around the globe to tackle this issue in some of the world’s toughest places. But we also know that by working together with Christians and churches, we can end its scourge here in the UK, Europe and USA
too. As Christians our duty is to care for and protect our fellow men and women. So it is vital that we are aware of the warning signs of trafficking and slavery that are all too easy to miss; and that we put in place the
measures to help those at risk. We need to have our eyes open as well as our hearts so that we can show God’s love and protection to those who need it most.
CHURCH TOUR
One By One regularly runs talks, seminars and events in churches, educating Christians of the dangers and warning signs of trafficking and inspiring them to be part of the solution. In 2023 we ran a tour across 12 churches, and an hour-long documentary was produced and aired on TBN UK.
Free resource for church leaders help fight trafficking
PARLIAMENT RECEPTION
We recently held a reception in the Houses of Parliament where more than 100 church leaders gathered, alongside government Ministers and MPs.
“One By One's dedication to combating human trafficking is truly inspiring, and I'm pleased to support their efforts. I'm encouraged to see churches across the UK take a proactive role in addressing such a critical issue.” Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Committee said.
One By One has released a resource that can be downloaded at onebyone.org for free. The resource is suitable for church leaders, safeguarding leads, children’s workers and church volunteers. It includes:
› An overview of trafficking in Britain and the harsh facts.
› How your church can spot the signs
› What to do if you think someone you know has been trafficked.
› Support mechanisms to make your community safe
As a church leader myself, I wish I had access to a resource like this years ago. This incredible tool will inform and equip your church and help protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Rev
Doug Williams, chairman, One By One.
The resource has already been accessed by many churches
Impacting thousands Our year in numbers…
8,455 children supported at our programmes across the world.
130,986 meals were distributed in Kenya at King’s School.
Outreach teams in Pakistan reached 65 brick factories every week.
The record attendance in a single week at brick factory outreach in Pakistan was 1,550 children, making it the largest programme of its kind in the country.
in 2024
At One By One’s safe house in Pakistan, 89,520 meals were given throughout the year.
We employ 84 staff across the world in Kenya, Pakistan, Uganda, USA, UK and Canada.
45,360 hours of education were carried out in schools.
6,378 girls were reached with the Dignity Project across schools, communities and refugee camps.
Standing for the one
We are grateful to our friends around the world who stand with us and use their platforms to speak up for those who are suffering
Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover
“Every human being is created in the image of God. Every person deserves not only our respect, but our care and protection – especially those who are most vulnerable in our world. I am delighted to support One By One. Together, we must continue to strive for the flourishing and freedom of all of God’s people.”
John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence
“I was absolutely delighted to host One By One in Parliament. It’s heartening to see the faith community taking a stand against such a critical issue. I’m pleased to support One By One’s crucial work, especially with the charity being started and ran so close to home. Becky and her team are doing an amazing job.”
Nigel Benn, former world champion boxer
“I’ve teamed up with One By One to help end the misery of human trafficking. I’m pleased to support this incredible charity and was one of their first ever supporters when they started.”
Junior Stanislas, former Premier League footballer
“When I heard the story of One By One and the children they were working with, I knew I had to get involved. It’s our mandate as Christians to reach the lost and the broken. I’m delighted to lend my voice along with many others across the church to see freedom come to those who are held captive.”
Would you like to be a speaker or an ambassador for One By One? Why not get in touch? E-mail admin@onebyone.org for more information.
