Blogging for Bunso Maryann

Pictured here is Maryann Asis at the 2006 summit for World Sisters United in the Philippines.

Four years ago I started to conceputalize of what could be done to help oppressed women in developing countries in the face of rapid globalization that was increasingly victimizing the innocent. The result was World Sisters United, an international media collective that allowed the point of view of impoverished and dispossessed women from all around the globe. WSU is providing media creation tools, training and facilities and exploring ways to use the media to help others. WSU has blossumed on its own now and it building its own momentum. But all my money is gone and so we are looking for people to help sponser some of our members still struggling for survival.

In 2005 I started recruiting members from all around the world but the Philippines took off first. I used the web to make all the initial contacts. I found the easiest place to find female victims of oppression to be the cybersex sweat shops. They were online and accessable to chat. This human-slave-trade derived industry would find young girls from small villages, ship them off to the cities, keep them in crowded apartments hovered in front of CRT computer monitors with as many as 5-8-12-16 crowded to a room. They would then pay them pennies a minute only to strip and perform sex acts to mostly men from developed countries who pay $2 a minute. These girls basically have to do anything the men ask them. They put up with constant verbal abuse for hours and hours. It turns good kind hardworking God fearing people into battered prostitutes. Cybersex industry is a billion dollar business that's growing at a rapid rate. 12% of the GNP of the Philippines is the sex industry. 14% of Thailand's GNP is from the sex industry. Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia all are following this trend. Right now as you read this there are countless millions of girls online working hard for their money. It's a sad waste of humanity. It's hard to believe the people profiting and supporting this industry can sleep at night.

Going to the site where I recruited at was extemely depressing seeing the sadness in the eyes of these innocent young girls, many underage, that were supporting large extended families. I couldn't really understand how people could find seeing these girls and seeing their condition erotic in any way. To me it only spoke of a certain slavery and oppression of good people. People worthy of helping out. These weren't drug addicts or hardened prostitutes for the most part. Most everyone I met sent all their money home. I couldnt help but wonder if there wasn't a way you could use a web portal like this to actually help others. So this is what spawned p2pgiving.com which will be launching within a the next month. This will allow profiles of people in need to be directly viewed by people who can give. With broadcasting of the status and updates the giver can actually be part of the story. So we no longer have to just witness dispair we can help to turn things around.

It took a lot of time and a lot of money to get to meet and know candidates for WSU and to sift through the variety of personalities and to find ones with good leadership qualities and strong character. It took about nine months, I was very happy when that phase was over and the core members of WSU that we ended with is amazing to say the least. I'm happy to say my intuition regarding the ones I recruited was spot on. About half of the members still have to work in the sex industry. So I am currently seeking people to help sponser them so they can leave behind these dreadful jobs where they are treated purely like objects and end up with battered self esteems.

Screenshots of Maryann at work in her cybersex job:

The very first girl I recruited in the online cybersex industry was Maryann. She was always crying or sleeping or looking depressed in her cybersex job. She was understandably depressed all the time. Her work was hours of men treating her poorly and asking her to do disgusting things. Maryann didn't see any of the money she made through the sex work. Most of her earnings went to her boss and the rest went to her family. Maryann comes from a remote province of Biliran where her family lives in a nipa hut with no water or electricity. I asked Maryann how much would it cost to leave behind her cybersex work and she replied $50 a month. I put her on salary and then started to help her build a small business.

It's been an uphill battle since then but things are improving in her life in general. She met a scallywag type of guy who got her pregnant nine months ago. She had the baby then if you read some earlier blogs you can see that after a sligtly premature cesarian birth and complications with her baby she was left with a huge hospital bill. One hospital actually kept the baby as collateral! So Maryan's mother had some land that was in the family for years that she sold to pay the hospital bills. Maryann had to sell the sari shop I helped her start. She managed to get some pigs in exchange and now they have been sold. So we are seeking donors or sponsers on behalf of Maryann. Any amount will help. 100% of the proceeds go directly to Maryann to help her survive and feed her newborn. Maryan has no support from anybody. The father of her baby has ran off and disappeared. I can personally vouch for this young woman. She has great heart and goes to her local church every day to pray. This is a person who derserves a chance and any help will certainly make a significant difference in her life.

Asking for any help of any kind for Maryan. Maryan's current total financial needs are $200 a month which supports her entire extended family in Biliran. So for those of you who can help any amount on a monthly basis as sponser would be really great. We are also asking for any prayers and positive thoughts.

Peace in 008

L

Looking for someone to sponsor Bunso Maryan - who needs $200 per month

Even a dollar will help. Please send a dollar now to help Bunso Maryan