In the News

“Education was my ‘way out’ of a family locked in generational cycles of violence, substance abuse, mental illness and poverty.” Dr. Kate Price

With your help we can provide assistance to many other survivors like Kate. Immediately show your support and participate in our 5 for Five Challenge. Through education, survivors can be empowered to confidently pursue their dreams and become more active and vital members of society. In addition, survivors often position themselves to “give back” after completing their education by using their combination of training and direct experience to actively assist other trafficking survivors.

Purpose & Goal of the 5 for Five Challenge
Through the 5 for Five Challenge, Sun Gate Foundation is raising funds to help survivors of human trafficking enrolled in an educational program in spring 2021 semester. The average cost of a semester’s worth of text books is around $500. Our goal is to raise at least $5000 to help 10 survivors.

We need your help!!!
If you are a believer in education and would like to empower survivors, we ask that you make a small donation of $5 or more to Sun Gate Foundation
(www.sun-gate.org). Then, we invite you to challenge 5 of your friends or family members who may be interested in helping us reach our goal. They can then invite 5 of their friends, and the challenge will continue!

Be a part of the solution and participate in our fundraiser. Join us in being a “way out” for survivors of human trafficking around the country like Kate. Your donation can change a life.

Quote from a Sun Gate Scholar through the previous 5 for Five Challenge:
“The textbook scholarship relieved me of some of my financial burdens, and I feel a lot more confident and successful both in class and in my life. It is such a great feeling to know that there are people as kind hearted as you are who choose to go out of their way to help people like me in need. Although my journey has not been an easy one, this has helped me not only financially, but it has also helped me realize that there are still good people in this world who truly care about the well-being of others. It also helped me realize that my past should not determine my future and that I really have a chance to make something of myself.”

The story of our CEO, Shamere McKenzie, is featured in a documentary produced on the island of Aruba by The Switch Foundation.

SYNOPSIS OF DOCUMENTARY ‘FALSE PROMISE ‘:
The story of Shamere inspired the Switch Foundation team and that is why we wanted to multiply the message through False Promise, an experimental documentary adapted in Aruba with aspiring and amateur actors, designed to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of our girls by networks. traffickers and labor exploitation in men and boys dramatizing through artistic expressions the tactics most used by traffickers to attract victims to this dark business.

False Promise, original name in Papiamento, is a call to action. A testimony of survival and a gift of love dedicated to our island Aruba, to the countries of the world and to the vulnerable communities of human trafficking.

The courage and testimony of a young woman can change the world and prevent victims of false promises. Shamere Mckenzie was a victim of sexual exploitation. Now she has become an activist and an expert in Human Trafficking issues. She has taken her experience to universities, conferences, community events, state agencies, private companies and NGOs; to raise awareness, prevent and train people on how to identify situations that may end in exploitation and abuse of human rights.

The goal is to carry a message of prevention and detection to all children, youth and parents through the distribution of documentary in schools in the Caribbean and Latin America, and digital channels with the support of all the world organizations and people who are fighting for the same cause.

A huge thank you to Switch Foundation, Aruba, Paula Nahr the founder of the Switch Foundation and Producer of the documentary for using her platform to share this message.

Thanks to Directors Rafael Barragán and Joshua Verschuur, Director of Photography Ronney Dotel, Art Director Jhon Freddy Tobón Montoya and acting coach Gloria Bryce, for achieving and executing the visual concept with excellence.

What an amazing performance and acting by Gena Ramirez Boom who played Shamere and delivered a clear message.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. Feel free to share and let us know your thoughts.

Click Here to watch the documentary False Promises

Our CEO, Shamere McKenzie’s story was featured as part of Robin Roberts of ABC’s Good Morning America Thriver Series. Click here to watch the video.