When Nichole Martyn saw a story about Destiny Rescue on Channel 7’s Sunday Night program, it was all the motivation she needed to spend nine days in Thailand, taking a firsthand look at how young girls are exploited. Destiny Rescue is a Christian-based, non profit organisation dedicated to rescuing children from sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. “During my time in Thailand, I spent a day in a Destiny Rescue house in Bangkok with six girls that had been rescued – none of whom were older than 16 and who had been there for at least two years,” Ms Martyn said. “I saw their lives had been restored to something more ‘normal’; they were all in school and had received medical treatment and psychological counselling. “I was so affected; they had hope in their eyes, through the love and commitment of Destiny Rescue.” Now an advocate of the program, Ms Martyn held a fundraising night last Saturday, where people could buy jewellery made by the girls. “The girls get paid a wage to make the jewellery and all money raised at the function helps pay their wages,” she said. “It’s vocational training; there’s also a hairdressing academy, which will help break the cycle of poverty and give them hope.” The jewellery party raised $430, and four more jewellery parties have been arranged for some of the people who attended. “The parties also encourage people to talk about this issue and create wider awareness about a subject that is usually taboo,” Ms Martyn said. For more information or to hold your own party, contact Nichole Martyn on 0412 099 223.