Mama Dorah: Uplifting Grassroots Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, in which millions of children worldwide are trafficked annually, is the second largest organized crime superseded only by drug trafficking. This multibillion-dollar industry is a major issue throughout South Africa. The paper provides a brief history of the problem on trafficking throughout the world, but especially in Johannesburg, South Africa. It further shares a model for how one multicultural community church partnered with a grassroots organization, Dorah\u27s Ark, to keep fifty orphaned children fed, educated and protected from human traffickers. The intervention was intentional and well-planned, but not without trials. The issues faced and how they were addressed are included. The paper presents the church\u27s theology of caring for orphans and shows a way for social workers and faith communities/church leaders to work together to address important community needs