Alumna Heads to India to Fight Sex Trade

Megan Keels '08 has a goal. She has a vision. She has passion. (She's a Seahawk, of course she does!)

Drawing from personal experiences, Megan has a desire to help people who can't always help themselves. While earning her degrees in sociology, she learned about problems people faced across the globe. One that she couldn't look past was the issue of human sex trafficking.

While reading "Half the Sky," Megan learned about Apne Aap Women Worldwide, whose focus is ending sex trafficking in India. Reading about the issues facing women in this part of the world motivated Megan to reach out to the organization. She found that they needed help in an area of their operations that perfectly suited her acquired skill set: collecting, analyzing and reporting on the most recent data surrounding the trade.

Remembering what a fellow UNCW classmate told her, "to be physically present in a place (as a volunteer) is indispensable," confirmed Megan's decision to head to India; a trip that she will be making next month.

To prepare for her six-month stay, Megan has contacted past volunteers and frequently communicates with a current volunteer to inquire about their lives in India. She put together a website which talks about the issues and the support she needs for the trip. She is looking forward to the experience and "becoming an integral part of a volunteer project that will truly make a difference in the world."

UNCW/Crystal George