There are conversations that inform you, and then there are conversations that transform you. My Zoom call with Dr. Poklar of the Sentinel Foundation was the latter.
Dr. Poklar has dedicated a large portion of her life to protecting vulnerable children in Southeast Asia — particularly in the Thai region — and her depth of knowledge, compassion, and on-the-ground experience left me with a profound sense of both urgency and responsibility. I am deeply grateful that she gave her time to speak with me, and even more grateful that she welcomes The Ford Project into this fight.
The Reality on the Ground in Thailand
Dr. Poklar walked me through the complex landscape of exploitation and trafficking in the Thai region. The challenges are multilayered — cultural, political, and economic — and addressing them requires far more than good intentions. She spoke candidly about the hesitancy and wariness that Thai communities sometimes have toward NGOs, and the critical importance of building genuine trust before meaningful work can be done. This is not a problem that can be solved from the outside looking in. It requires patience, respect, and a willingness to listen.
She also raised something I was not fully prepared to hear — beyond trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation, there are serious concerns in the Golden Triangle area regarding the harvesting of organs. The scale of human suffering in this region extends into territory that is deeply disturbing, and it reinforced for me why the work of organizations like the Sentinel Foundation — and now The Ford Project — is so critically needed.
A Path Forward Together
What gave me the greatest sense of hope was what Dr. Poklar shared about next steps. She is planning to connect The Ford Project with two orphanages in Thailand that work directly with exploited children. This is exactly the kind of on-the-ground partnership that will allow us to put our resources and our people where they are needed most.
She also suggested something that I believe will be invaluable — the opportunity to shadow Sentinel Foundation agents who are currently in country and actively doing the hard, challenging, and deeply courageous work of helping these children. There is no substitute for learning from those already in the field, and this kind of mentorship and collaboration is exactly how The Ford Project will grow into the organization these children deserve.
A Word of Gratitude
I want to be clear about something — speaking with someone of Dr. Poklar's recognition and experience was not something I took lightly. She did not have to give her time to a new organization just finding its footing. The fact that she did, and that she expressed genuine enthusiasm for TFP joining the fight, means everything to me. It is a reminder that the anti-trafficking community is exactly that — a community — and that we are stronger together.
If you would like to learn more about the Sentinel Foundation and support their extraordinary work on the ground in Southeast Asia, I encourage you to visit their website and consider making a donation to their cause.
Help fund the agents protecting children in Southeast Asia every single day.