Spending the time in jail marked the first time the sex trafficking survivor, who did not want her last name revealed, had a moment to silence her mind – away from the manipulation, coercion, and toxicity that came with it the sexual exploitation industry is alive. It was then that she realized what was being done to her was wrong; she wanted better for herself, but she needed a plan.
“I have just [wanted] to learn to be human – I don’t want to be in this life anymore, ”says Ava. “But I [didn’t] but knows how to get out. “
Ava’s journey began with her attorney connecting her with Valiant Hearts, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides emergency shelter, bespoke care, and educational resources to sexual exploitation survivors.
Through the organization, Ava worked through an extensive healing therapy program, but when the time came to reintegrate into society, she encountered another obstacle.
“I had [an] extensive criminal history for being trafficked – I had charges brought by my trafficker [my record]”Says Ava. “I looked vigorously for months and just kept getting turned away.”
It was then that Valiant Hearts introduced Ava to ex-Texas Christian University political science professor Vanessa Bouche and her essential oil company Savhera, which was founded to provide dignified employment for sex trafficking survivors in India and the United States
“This is not a handout,” says Bouche. “This is about equipping people with transferable skills and sustainable professional skills that they need to make a living so they can make their own decisions about their lives.”
Bouche had taught sex trafficking for years, but it was two women she met while studying abroad in India that inspired the company.
“Why should I tell you my story?” Bouche remembers one of the women who said that. “Why should I tell you something about myself? You are no different from the people who come here and exploit me for my body. “
The woman’s words resonated with Bouche – survivors need someone who will actively stand up for them and help them build better lives.
Within months, the essential oils company was set up to employ sexual exploitation survivors in India, and the U.S. Bouche told women from India that she would start the company to employ them – and that they would have naming rights.
Two weeks later the women came back with the name Savhera, a Hindi word for a new beginning or a new dawn.
“The idea of a new beginning is that the sun always rises in the morning,” says Bouche. “No matter how dark your past was, no matter how dark your night was, the sun always rises.”
Ava longed for a reminder of the promise of a new morning as she faced constant rejection of entry-level positions when Bouche reached out to the NGO where Ava was looking for survivors to hire at Savhera. Ava recalls the infectious, open-minded excitement Bouche expressed when they first met.
“I was wearing an ankle monitor at the time and was on probation,” says Ava. “Everything was like it was saying on paper, ‘Don’t hire this person’. Vanessa overlooked all of this and knew that there was potential that just had to be tapped. “
At Savhera, Ava and the rest of the U.S. employed Survivors are building on the valuable skills required to join the professional workforce – such as spreadsheets, inventory fulfillment management, and communication.
In India, employment at Savhera looks a little different, especially as the country has been devastated by COVID-19. Savhera’s office in India was closed for several months in 2020 and 2021, but that hasn’t stopped Bouche and her team from assisting the survivors they employ.
“As a company that exists to support the livelihoods of trafficking survivors [and] Realizing their extreme vulnerability when they aren’t paid – we are committed to getting them through the entire lockdown, ”says Bouche.
In India, the survivors employed by Savhera are mainly concerned with the production activities for the manufacture of sustainable packaging and diffusible accessories.
There is one main thing that working at Savhera in the US and India has in common: it is focused on healing and empowerment.
“It’s just an environment where it’s fine anywhere,” Ava says. “So I was just able to flourish intellectually. I have the strength to keep growing. “
For those looking to support the company and sex trafficking survivors, the best way is to purchase Savhera’s “Incredibly Pure” and certified organic collection of essential oils, diffusers, and gift sets that are only available on the website and on the Dallas Farmers Market are available every weekend, says Bouche.
“[Savhera is] Supporting the employment of women who desperately need the rest of the world to be by their side and say, ‘We actually see you and we actually take care of you,’ ”says Bouche. “You don’t get this from any other essential oil company or aromatherapy company in the world. It’s kind of taken for granted for people to understand. If you love aromatherapy and love people – this is it. “
